


Eagle's Wings

by CassLynn412



Series: Eagle Miraculous [1]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gabriel Agreste | Papillon | Hawk Moth Being a Jerk, Gen, Original Akuma, Original Character(s), Post-Episode: s03 Caméléon | Chameleon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-14
Updated: 2020-07-06
Packaged: 2021-03-02 23:35:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 25
Words: 55,579
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24185233
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CassLynn412/pseuds/CassLynn412
Summary: Ladybug and Chat Noir have learned a lot about their miraculouses in the past year. But the threat of Hawkmoth and his new partner, Mayura, grow every day. Meanwhile, Marinette isn't having much luck in school as her class is drawn more towards Lila's lies. Their world gets shaken even more when 19-year-old Casey Barbereau enters Paris with a miraculous of her own, and a personal grudge against Hawkmoth. Fate pulls Marinette, Adrien and Casey towards each other and things get wild.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Alya Césaire/Nino Lahiffe
Series: Eagle Miraculous [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1745497
Comments: 39
Kudos: 42





	1. Chance Meeting

**Author's Note:**

> I originally posted this on Wattpad under the same screen name. It's still in the works, and given the edits I'm doing, the two will look a little different from each other. I'm also terrible at updating regularly, but I'll try my best to keep working on it. Hope you all enjoy! Let me know what you think of it!

Marinette, for once, was early to rise. She glanced at her phone and found that her alarm was set for another thirty minutes from now. Tikki was sleeping on a smaller pillow right next to the giant cat plush on her bed, probably waiting for Marinette to inevitably wake up in a rush. 

Marinette stretched her arms with a yawn. "Tikki," she said softly. "Tikki, wake up." 

"Is it time to go already?" Tikki asked, blinking her eyes open. 

"Not yet, but if you're awake, then I won't fall asleep again and miss my alarm," Marinette stated. 

"That akuma yesterday was rough," Tikki stated, stretching out on her pillow. 

"I know. It's a miracle I got all my work done yesterday." 

"Well, you'd better start getting ready for school. I don't think your parents will let you off the hook for being late when you woke up early." 

"Yeah. I'm on it Tikki," Marinette replied. walking over to her closet. 

Marinette certainly wasn't used to not being rushed through her morning routine. She kept jumping when she thought to check the time, only to calm down when she realized that she had plenty of time to get to school. Tikki found it a little amusing to watch. Marinette would give her an unamused look that eventually turned into a small smile every time the kwami giggled. 

"I think I've got all my books," Marinette stated, carefully checking her backpack. "Are there enough cookies in my purse for you, Tikki?" 

Tikki zoomed into the purse and quickly poked her head out. "Maybe you should grab a few before we leave. " 

"Papa put all the left-over cookies from yesterday in a jar downstairs," Marinette replied. "I'll make sure to get you some."

Marinette's parents were pleasantly surprised when she walked downstairs with all of her stuff ready to go before she needed to leave. She placed her backpack next to her stool and wandered into the kitchen to fix herself breakfast, stealthily grabbing the cookies she had promised Tikki. In what seemed like no time, Marinette was walking to school, ready for whatever the day threw at her....but not for what she would trip into. 

While walking along, Marinette tripped over a large divot in the sidewalk and straight into a girl with short, red hair. The two girls tumbled down onto the sidewalk.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," Marinette apologized, standing up quickly. 

"You're fine," the girl replied, grabbing a large duffel bag that she had dropped. "In a rush?" 

"No, I just tripped over the sidewalk," Marinette explained. "It happens every now and then." 

Marinette looked up at the girl she'd run into. Her red hair was incredibly messy and she had very piercing, grey eyes. She had on faded jeans and a baggy white t-shirt, covered by a brown hoodie, but what Marinette was mostly drawn to were the two pieces of jewelry around her neck. One was a silver, heart-shaped locket, the other was a silver, feather pendant on a choker. 

"Something wrong, miss?" the girl asked. 

Marinette shook her head. "Sorry, I just noticed your jewelry. It's very nice." 

"Thanks. A locket I got from my family before I left home," the girl replied. 

"Are you new to Paris?" 

"I've visited a few times," she answered. "It was a long time ago. I'm trying to find a family friend's place. Can't seem to find my way around." 

"Which street is it on?" Marinette inquired. 

The girl showed her an envelope with the address. Marinette recognized the street name. "Okay, so you're gonna want to go across the park and then on the intersection after it, turn right," Marinette instructed. 

"Thanks," the girl replied. "I'm Casey." 

"Marinette." 

The two girls shook hands and went their ways. Alya and Nino were waiting outside of the school when Marinette walked up. 

"Girl, you're on-time!" Alya said with a cheer. 

"I woke up a little earlier than usual," Marinette replied with a chuckle. 

"Is it going to become a normal habit?" Alya asked, poking at the girl's abdomen. 

Nino chuckled. "I wouldn't hold my breath, Alya." 

"We should be getting to class," Marinette stated. "My parents won't be happy if I left early and still somehow managed to be late to class." 

"You two go ahead," Nino said with a wave. "I'm gonna wait for Adrien." 

Butterflies exploded in Marinette's stomach at the mention of the model. Alya rolled her eyes with an endearing smile and pulled the raven-haired girl into school. 

"So, when are you going to finally tell Adrien about your not-so-secret crush?" Alya asked. 

"I'm working on it," Marinette answered with a blush. "I'm not really that obvious am I?" 

"To everybody except him." 

Marinette groaned. "It's really hard. At least it's easier to form coherent sentences. I still spaz out." 

"You'll get over it," Alya said with a wave of her hand. "And then you'll be able to ask him out. Anyways, I got some excellent footage of the akuma attack yesterday. People have been going nuts over it." 

"Alya," Marinette scolded. "You can't keep running after akumas. You'll get hurt." 

"I was careful," Alya rebuffed. "Besides, it was worth it. Just look at this video." 

Marinette shook her head and took Alya's phone. Alya was talking animatedly while she watched the video. They took their seats in the second row, still discussing yesterday's akuma attack. Everyone else in their class started shuffling in and the day was getting underway. 

Meanwhile, following Marinette's directions, Casey found exactly the place she was looking for. An old, but well kept machine shop stood in front of her. Casey took a deep breath and walked in. The bell above the door rattled and an older man with salt and pepper hair popped up from behind a counter. 

"Hey Josue," Casey said with a smile. 

"Casey Barbereau!" the man said, wrapping her in a hug. "It's been too long since you last stopped in Paris." 

"What can I say? Mom and Charles weren't quite sure where to settle down," Casey replied. "How are things with you and Aunt Felice?" 

"Your aunt's a wonderful woman," Josue answered. "I couldn't be happier. She's been very excited to see you again." 

"Yeah? I haven't seen her in....? I don't remember," Casey said, humming at being unable to recall the memory. 

"Six years," Josue stated. "You were such a trouble making thirteen year old." 

"Well, I still get into a bit of trouble," Casey admitted. 

"So much like your mother in that regard. How is your family?" 

"Mom's doing good. Charles is nice and Daisy's getting pretty big now." 

"You should tell them to come visit soon." 

Casey's smile grew. "I will. So, where's my room?" 

"Follow me." 

Josue led Casey past the garage where a job was laying half-finished and up a flight of stairs. The upstairs apartment Josue showed her was well-kept, but not very lived in. Still, Casey found it homey. She tossed her bag onto the couch and took in the space. 

"This place is your's, so long as you keep up with your rent. You'll earn some good money in the shop," Josue stated. "Get settled and I'll show you the ropes when you come back down stairs." 

Josue left Casey alone in the room. While she drank in the apartment, a feathered brown kwami with small wings came floating from out of her jacket. 

"What do you think Tali?" Casey asked, looking down at the kwami. 

"I think you'll feel right at home in no time," Tali answered. "There's definitely lots of privacy." 

Casey nodded. "Once everything gets settled, then we can start our work." 

"I'm still not sure this is a wise idea," Tali replied. "Evelyn was very specific." 

"I'm legally an adult," Casey said nonchalantly. "Mom may not like it, but it's time I got some answers." 

"Just don't rush into things," Tali advised. "This is a delicate situation. You need to take your time." 

"I've been waiting for nineteen years. I suppose I can wait a little longer."


	2. Broken Down

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little mishap on the way to a photo shoot causes Adrien, Nathalie and Gorilla to stop by a mechanic.

Adrien was always very happy to be in school with his friends. It drove away the tiredness he felt from the akuma he and Ladybug had dealt with yesterday. He and Nino were chatting about some new music that Nino had been working on when the bell rang, bringing in all of his other classmates. He was a bit surprised to see Marinette walk in on time with Alya. Apparently, so was Madame Bustier, who gave a a happy smile upon seeing Marinette in her seat when she took attendance. 

"Alright class, please settle down," Madame Bustier said as she finished attendance. "Today we are going to begin our study on the Rabelais. Form a line at the front of the room so I can distribute your books. We will be starting with his work 'Gargantua and Pantagruel.'"

The class followed Madame Bustier's instructions. Adrien remembered that his mother had loved works written by Rabelais, though she had never wanted Adrien to read them until she felt he was old enough. Once everyone had received their books, Madame Bustier began a lecture on the works of Rabelais and his impact on literature. Adrien was as attentive as he could be, though he sometimes felt his mind drift away to dream about Ladybug. 

Nino nudged Adrien in the ribs. "Dude, Miss is gonna call on you if you don't start paying attention," he whispered with a chuckle. 

"I was paying attention," Adrien replied, rubbing the back of his neck. "Mostly." 

Nino rolled his eyes and shared his notes with Adrien until he caught up with the lecture. Eventually, they were dismissed, and Adrien drifted through his school day. While they were on their lunch break, Adrien's phone pinged, letting him know that Nathalie had sent him a text. 

"What's your dad need?" Nino asked, noticing Adrien checking his phone. 

Adrien cringed when he read the message. "I've got a photo shoot. Nathalie's on the way to pick me up." 

"Are you going to miss the rest of school?" Nino inquired. 

Adrien sighed. "Probably a lesson or two. Would you mind taking some notes for me?" 

"No problem dude. I've got your back." 

Adrien smiled gratefully. Inside he was cringing. How could he have forgotten about a photo shoot? Had he really zoned out that much at breakfast that morning? He sat down on the steps of the school to wait for Nathalie. Nino wanted to stay with him, but Adrien refused to let him skip lunch to sit with him. Eventually, the car pulled up and Adrien slipped inside. Nathalie was scrolling through her tablet. 

"The photo shoot should only take an hour and it is in front of the Eiffel Tower," she stated. "Then you can get back to school and be able to make it to fencing." 

Adrien nodded, not allowing him to miss any details this time. "My friends will take notes for me, so I won't miss anything." 

Adrien thought he caught a glimpse of a small smile on Nathalie's face. 

"Very good Adrien," she said monotonously. "We wouldn't want you falling behind." 

Traffic was not moving very fast and it seemed that every light they hit was red. Adrien noticed that Nathalie was getting more and more irritated with every light they had to sit at. They were pulling up to another light when the smell of smoke reached their noses. Adrien's face scrunched up. 

"Is something burning?" he asked nervously. 

Gorilla pulled to the side of the road and quickly turned the car off. White smoke was pouring out from under the hood. 

"We are going to be late," Nathalie hissed under her breath. 

"It'll be okay, Nathalie," Adrien replied. "I'm sure the photographer will understand. Everyone gets car troubles." 

Gorilla shrugged at Nathalie from the hood of the car. She groaned and glanced at her tablet. Adrien noticed that there was a map of Paris pulled up. Nathalie sighed in relief after examining the map for a minute. 

"There's a mechanic just around the corner," Nathalie informed them. 

Gorilla turned on the car and drove them around the corner. It was easy enough to spot. Large black letters were in the window spelling out 'Josue's Garage.' Gorilla pulled up to the building. Nathalie and Adrien got out of the car and walked inside. A bell above the door jingled, catching the attention of a redheaded girl at a counter cleaning parts. 

"How can I help you?" she asked. 

"There is smoke coming from our car," Nathalie answered. "We were hoping a mechanic could look at it." 

"Give me a sec," the girl replied. 

She walked over to a side door, shouting to whoever was in the room, "Hey, Josue! Some people are having some car trouble! Got a minute?!" 

"One moment, Casey!" a man called back. "Go out with some tools and pop the hood! I'll come out when I'm finished with this oil change!" 

The girl, who Adrien assumed was Casey, knelt behind the counter and grabbed a large toolbox. Nathalie led her out to the car. Casey seemed to know what she was doing, as she knelt over the engine of the car. 

"So, what was the problem?" Casey asked, not looking up from the engine. 

"There was smoke coming from under the hood," Nathalie replied. 

"Yeah, but what color of smoke?" 

"White," Nathalie answered, shifting from foot to foot. 

"Okay, that rules out a lot of possibilities," Casey stated. 

They waited in silence as Casey inspected the engine. Adrien got curious as to what the engine under the hood looked like. He walked up to Casey and tried to peek over her shoulder. 

"So, can you see what's wrong?" he asked.

Casey seemed surprised at both his proximity and sudden question, as she flinched and hit her head on the top of the hood. She let out a groan. 

"Geeze, kid," she hissed, rubbing her head. "Don't surprise someone when they're under the hood." 

"Sorry," Adrien mumbled. "I just wanted to know what you're looking for." 

"Adrien, don't bother the mechanic," Nathalie interjected with a slight scold. 

"He's fine," Casey assured her. "Nothing wrong with being curious. I'm looking to see if you've got coolant leaking into the engine." 

The door opened and an older man came walking out of the store, his hands covered in oil. 

"What seems to be the problem?" he asked as Casey let him look under the hood. 

"Probably just a coolant leak," Casey informed him. "You can smell it in the smoke." 

"I agree. Now we just need to find where the leak is coming from. Good to see you remember some of your skills." 

Casey smiled. "I was taught by the best."

"We are on a tight schedule," Nathalie stated. "How quickly can you repair it?" 

Casey raised an eyebrow at Nathalie. "Depends. You want a running car or one that billows smoke through all of Paris." 

"Casey," the man said with a pointed look at the girl. "Mind your manners."

"Sorry Josue," Casey replied. 

"It's just that Mr. Agreste will need the car for the rest of the day and we have very important business to get to," Nathalie reasoned. 

"Agreste? My mom said she once met a guy with that last name," Casey mused. 

Josue looked up from the engine, closing the hood. "It'll need to be left for a day at least. We can put it as a priority for tomorrow. Would you like us to call a taxi?" 

Nathalie shook her head. "Thank you, but I'll just call for Mr. Agreste to send another car." 

"I'll go make room in the garage," Casey replied, heading to the open garage. 

"Can I come?" Adrien asked. 

Nathalie raised an eyebrow. "Adrien, we're on a very tight schedule and you don't want to get your clothes covered in grime." 

"The car won't be here for a few minutes," Adrien replied. "And I promise not to touch anything that might leave a stain." 

Nathalie exchanged glances with Casey. Casey shrugged her shoulders. "It's fine by me. Josue?" 

"As long as you make sure he doesn't touch anything that might get him hurt." 

Casey gestured for Adrien to follow her. "C'mon then." 

The garage was not the neatest place Adrien had seen, but it definitely wasn't the messiest. One car took up one of the three slots in the garage. The middle slot had tools and parts strewn all over the ground and the third remained empty. There was a door on either end. One led back to the shop Adrien had seen earlier. The other led to a set of stairs. 

"What's up there?" Adrien inquired. 

"My apartment," Casey replied, picking up the tools. "You don't strike me as a car guy." 

Adrien shrugged. "I'm just curious. Sorry for making you hit your head." 

"You're fine. Just took me by surprise is all. Watch your step over there. Josue spilled a little oil." 

"So, how old are you?" Adrien asked, watching as Casey piled tools onto a cart. 

"Nineteen. You?" 

"Fourteen. You don't sound like you're from here." 

"I'm not. My family's living in England at the moment," Casey replied. "I was originally born in Domfront." 

"So, how'd you become a mechanic?" 

"I've been working with cars since I was young. Josue offered me a job here after I'd graduated. He said if everything works out, one day I might have my own shop." 

Adrien glanced around the warmly lit garage. It was pretty different to him. He wasn't sure he'd want to work in one for his whole life, but something told him that Casey preferred it. He watched as she organized the parts. He thought her expression was similar to the expression his father had whenever he was concentrated on his work, but her's seemed...happier? More content? 

"Adrien!" Nathalie called. "The car is here! We have to go!" 

"Coming!" He called back. "It was nice meeting you Casey." 

"Nice to meet you too, Adrien," Casey replied with a smirk. "Don't scare any more mechanics." 

Adrien smiled as he left the garage. They were on their way to the photo shoot and, after explaining the situation, the photographer calmed down. The rest of Adrien's day went by quickly and he was relieved when he finally flopped onto his bed. 

"That was tiring," Plagg whined, floating up by Adrien's head. 

"It was nice meeting Casey," Adrien stated. 

"Something about that girl seemed familiar," Plagg mused. 

"What do you mean?" 

Plagg shrugged. "I don't know. I'm too tired to think. Where's my cheese?" 

Adrien rolled his eyes. "In the fridge. I still think you should eat something more than just that camembert." 

"It is the most delicious thing in the universe. I will never be able to eat anything other than camembert," Plagg replied, eating his cheese with a dramatic toss. 

"If you say so," Adrien said, chuckling at his kwami's antics. 

Plagg finished his cheese and sat next to Adrien. Eventually, Adrien got up and started working on his homework. Plagg floated around giving some not-so-helpful hints with physics. Adrien was happy once all of his work was finished and spent the rest of the evening relaxing with Plagg.


	3. East Wind Blowing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Casey begins watching the superheros of Paris and Ladybug and Chat Noir encounter a strange new power in the midst of an akuma attack.

The following week had been very quiet for Ladybug and Chat Noir. Marinette wasn't sure what to think of it. No akumas? Either everyone in Paris was having a very good week, or Hawkmoth was getting ready for something big. The thought of another attack like the one on Heroes Day made her shudder. She would like to avoid another disaster like that. At least she could focus more on her school work and any other fashion designs she could come up with. Marinette decided that she could use some of her new found free-time to head to the park. 

The park was bustling with activity. Families were having picnics and playing on the playground and friends were passing through. Marinette settled underneath a large tree and placed her sketchbook on her lap. She contemplated texting Alya, but after a quick look at her social media, found that Alya was hanging out with Lila again. Marinette let out a small sigh and decided to just focus on her sketchbook. She found the inspiration for a new floral sundress and started sketching it out as fast as she could before she lost the image in her mind. Unfortunately for Marinette, her day was about to be interrupted. 

At the Louvre, a young woman named Alicia was having a pretty rough day. 

"What do you mean?!" She shrieked at the museum curator. "I've been planning this exhibit for weeks!" 

Mr. Kubdel held up his hands defensively. "There's nothing I can do. The Museum of Natural History won't loan us the statues you wish to put in your exhibit. Not for another year or so. I warned you that we might not get the statues within your time frame." 

"But those Greek statues would add a whole new layer to our Greek wing!" Alicia replied, her voice getting higher with her agitation. 

"There's nothing I can do Alicia," Mr. Kubdel sighed. "I warned you not to get your hopes up. These kinds of things take a lot of time to work out." 

Alicia was hearing none of it and stormed off. She shut herself outside by the loading dock. It wasn't fair! This exhibit had been her masterpiece! Every other exhibit had gotten some new artifacts on loan, why couldn't hers?! Alicia kicked a bucket, not noticing the small black butterfly fluttering towards her museum badge. 

Marinette was pulled out of her head when she heard panicked screams. The amount of alarm quickly alerted her that an akuma must be around. Marinette started looking for a place to hide, pulling into a deserted alley. Tikki popped her head out of Marinette's purse. 

"Looks like Hawkmoth finally found a victim," Tikki stated. 

Marinette sighed. "At least we got a break. Tikki, spots on!" 

Pink magic flowed over Marinette's body, turning her into Ladybug. She launched herself from the alley, using her yo-yo to swing above the akuma. She landed on a roof and saw a line of white marble statues left in the wake of the akuma. The akuma herself had a head of hair filled with green snakes. Her skin was the color of lead and her eyes were a luminescent orange. She wore a short skirt and a frilly button up shirt. 

"Hello, M'Lady." 

The leather clad Chat Noir dropped onto the roof right beside Ladybug. "What do we have here?" 

"I'm not sure," Ladybug replied. "It looks like she turns people to stone." 

"She looks like a gorgon," Chat stated. 

"You mean, like Medusa?" Ladybug asked. 

Chat nodded. "Just look at those snakes. Talk about a bad hair-day." 

"Let's get to work. We don't want her turning all of Paris into statues." 

"Right behind you, Bugaboo." 

The two heroes leaped from their roof top, ready to confront the akuma. 

Casey was out exploring Paris with some of her spare time when she saw the akuma. It startled her a bit. Hearing about them on the news and seeing them in person were two completely different things. The akuma announced herself as Medusa and shot nasty beams from her eyes that turned people to stone. Casey ran for cover, ducking into one of the many alleys. She stared out at the akuma. 

"Casey, you should head home," Tali implored. 

"Don't tell me you're not curious," Casey replied with a smirk. 

"I'm saying I've seen Nooroo's powers used like this before and it's very dangerous," Tali said urgently. "You should be heeding your mother's warning." 

Casey glanced down at her kwami. "Tali, this is the only clue I've got. I've gotta look into it." 

"You're not gonna give up on this, are you?" Tali inquired with a huff. 

"You know me all too well," Casey replied, a mischievous glint in her eye. "I promise to stay in the shadows." 

"Fine." 

"Wings up!" 

Gold magic flowed over Casey's body, covering her in a tight black suit and turning her hair pale blonde. She had a thigh-high skirt made of feathers, along with a complimentary mask. There was a cropped, brown hoodie over her suit, the hood covering the rest of her face. She had silver gauntlets on her arms and knee-high boots. The look was completed with a pair of escrima sticks on her belt. 

"Be careful," Tali whispered inside Casey's head. 

Chat and Ladybug were dancing around the akuma, dodging the beams coming from her eyes. It was a good thing their kwamis provided them with some extra stamina, otherwise Ladybug would've been winded. They jumped up, onto a roof, ready to regroup. 

"You find anything that might contain the akuma?" Chat inquired. 

"She has a badge clipped to her shirt," Ladybug pointed out. "That must be where it is. I can't find anything else." 

"I think we could use a little luck, M'Lady," Chat said with a smirk. 

"I couldn't agree more Kitty," Ladybug replied. "Lucky Charm!" 

A flurry of sparkles appeared and deposited a sleep mask into Ladybug's hands. 

"Putting her to sleep could work," Chat suggested with a shrug. 

Ladybug noticed a beam heading straight for them. "Jump!" she ordered, pulling Chat from the roof. 

The two landed on the street, facing down Medusa. She fired more beams at them, determined to turn them to stone. The three were so occupied that they didn't notice another miraculous holder slip into an alley to observe the battle. 

While jumping to avoid Medusa's beams, Ladybug's foot caught on an overturned statue's hand, sending her tumbling to the ground. She stood up as quickly as she could, but wasn't quite fast enough. One of Medusa's beams clipped her foot. Ladybug was rooted to the ground as her legs started turning to stone. 

"Ladybug!" Chat cried out. 

Medusa was staring haughtily, waiting for her to turn completely to stone. The stone never reached above her knees. A cold gust of wind brushed past Ladybug and the stone around her legs started to crack until it all fell away. It was so strong that it sent Medusa tumbling to the ground. Chat seized the opportunity, pouncing on top of Medusa before she could regain her bearings. 

"Chat!" Ladybug called, tossing the sleep mask at him. 

Chat plastered the mask to Medusa's face and quickly cataclysmed the badge. Ladybug opened her yo-yo, purifying the akuma. Once the butterfly was released, Ladybug turned towards where the strange wind had come from. Unfortunately, she couldn't see anything, or anyone around. Chat gave her the sleep mask. 

"Miraculous Ladybug!" she exclaimed, tossing it into the sky. 

Everything in Paris went back to normal. Many confused citizens noticed the two heroes standing in the street and drew an accurate assumption that there had been another akuma. News vans showed up in no time. Ladybug and Chat excused themselves and met on another roof top. 

"I didn't know you could do something like that," Chat stated. "Are you holding out on me, Bugaboo?" 

"Do what?" Ladybug asked, glancing at the street below. 

"Didn't you break the stone off of yourself?" 

Ladybug shook her head. "My only power is the Lucky Charm. I have no idea how that happened." 

"I know it wasn't me...Do you think we have a new ally watching our backs?" 

"I don't know," Ladybug said with a frown. Her earrings gave a beep. "I've gotta go. I'll look into what happened and let you know what I find. Bug out!" 

Casey had watched the fight from the alley, hoping to learn something about Hawkmoth through his akuma. She didn't learn much, just that the news coverage of the akumas didn't really give enough credit to the damage they could do. When Ladybug was turning to stone, she had to act and quickly used her power to keep her from being left defenseless. After that, she ducked out. 

Casey made her way back to her apartment, no one noticing her landing on the open window into her living room. Once Casey was safe in the confines of her home, she dropped her transformation. 

"Wings down." 

The magic washed off of her, leaving a somewhat exhausted Tali sitting on her hand. Casey ran a hand through her hair, which still remained blonde. She quickly grabbed a piece of chocolate out of the stash she kept in her pocket and handed it to Tali. 

"You used Spirit Wind," Tali said warily. "Do you know what could've happened if someone had seen you?" 

"No one did," Casey assured her. "If I hadn't used it, then Ladybug would've turned into a statue." 

"You're lucky you've learned how to hold your transformations after using your power," Tali replied, nibbling on the chocolate square.

"I'm lucky that I've learned a lot of things. I mean, I have been training with you since I was three." 

"Yes, but Evelyn didn't start getting involved until you were six. I still think she should have started earlier. She was four when she received the miraculous." 

Casey couldn't resist smiling at her kwami. "The fact the I never got caught training with you was a mere miracle. I've made some pretty big progress, especially considering Mom never gave me the Grimoire." 

"Can I have some more chocolate?" 

Casey wordlessly handed another piece to her kwami. The two sat on the couch. Casey turned on the TV and watched the news report about the akuma attack, happy to see that there was no mention of her slight meddling. She didn't want Paris knowing about her miraculous just yet. That and she certainly didn't want her aunt finding out that she was beginning to meddle. 

"Alright, I'm going to go dye my hair," Casey stated, walking towards the bathroom. 

"I still think you should leave it blonde," Tali replied. "It is your natural hair color." 

"I prefer red." 

"You prefer looking like your mother." 

"Is that a crime?" Casey replied. 

"It is when you refuse to acknowledge that you have another parent." 

"I've told you not to psycho-analyse me." 

"I'm not. I'm analyzing your daddy issues," Tali stated. 

Casey rolled her eyes at the kwami and began the long process of redyeing her hair.


	4. Investigations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette goes to Master Fu to ask about the strange wind and Casey's aunt figures out the main reason Casey came to Paris

Once Medusa was dealt with and Marinette had made sure that her parents knew she was safe, she started making her way to Master Fu's place. The feeling of the wind blowing kept creeping into her mind. It wasn't like a regular wind. It filled her a feeling she couldn't quite describe. It was like she could fly higher than anything in the world, like the world was nothing but an anchor. 

"Tikki, do you know what that was?" Marinette asked as she walked down the sidewalk. 

Tikki poked her head out of the purse. "I'm not completely sure Marinette. The sensation sounds familiar, but it could very easily have been something else." 

"What do you think it could be?" 

Tikki shook her head. "It might be best for Master Fu to explain." 

Thankfully, Marinette had reached Master Fu's home. She walked in to find Master Fu sitting pensively on the floor. 

"How can I help you, Marinette?" he asked, opening his eyes. 

Marinette shut the door and sat in front of him. "Something happened to day while Chat Noir and I were battling an akuma. I wanted to know if you might know anything about it." 

"Tell me everything that happened." 

Marinette started recounting the battle. How she and Chat Noir had to stay on their feet to avoid the akuma and how she summoned her Lucky Charm. When she started describing how the akuma had managed to hit her leg and the wind that had freed her from the stone, Master Fu's brow furrowed. Marinette waited patiently for him to explain what he knew. 

"It is very possible that an old miraculous has come into play," Master Fu stated. 

"So it was a miraculous?" Marinette pipped, her eyes widening. 

Fu nodded. "And by the sound of it, it could very well be the Eagle miraculous." 

"But, you said you'd only lost the Butterfly and the Peacock," Marinette said quickly. "There's no other empty space in the Miracle Box." 

"The Eagle miraculous is very different from the other Miraculous. " 

Master Fu stood up and grabbed his tablet, pulling up the Grimoire. He showed her a picture of a woman clothed in brown robes and feathers, with silver gauntlets on her arms and two escrima sticks. Marinette was drawn to the illustration of the kwami. 

"That is Tali," Fu said, noticing Marinette's gaze on the drawing. "Her miraculous jewel is a small feather pendant." 

"What can the Eagle miraculous do?" Marinette inquired. 

"Its power is called Spirit Wind," Master Fu explained. "It manifests itself as a powerful wind that obeys the will of the holder. The holder can project sensations and emotions to those touched by the wind, or use it read those same things from another person, as well as physically interact with their environment." 

"Why isn't it held inside the Miracle Box?" 

"It is in Tali's nature to always be moving, to be free. If she is anchored down against her will, she is unable to properly contain her powers. The Order of the Guardians had a ceremony where they would work with Tali to enable her to find a suitable holder. They presented Tali to the holder. If the holder perished, Tali would return to the Order. If the holder retired from using the miraculous, they would pass the miraculous onto one of their children." 

Marinette cupped her chin, thinking. She still wasn't sure if she should trust whoever the miraculous holder was. The way they had used their powers today showed that at the moment they were helping her and Chat Noir, but what if they turned out to be another Volpina? What if they were in league with Hawkmoth? 

"You are not sure if this new holder can be trusted," Fu stated. 

Marinette nodded. "They didn't show themselves to Chat Noir and I. This was the first time we've seen their powers. They could have an agenda. Have you ever met Tali?" 

"Once. I was a young boy and she had found a holder," Fu recalled. "They were a formidable pair. If she retired, then Tali would have joined with her daughter. Holders in the past do not always reflect the holders of the present. If you do not believe you can trust Tali's new holder, then proceed with caution." 

"Thank you, Master," Marinette said, standing from her spot. "I'll make sure to tell Chat Noir about what you've told me. I'll let you know if anything happens." 

Marinette's head was filled with more questions while she walked home. Who was the new holder? How long had they held the Eagle miraculous? Why were they suddenly in Paris? 

Casey was pacing around her apartment, sometimes glancing at a pin board she had spent about four hours putting up after making her hair red again. There were clippings from news articles about Ladybug and Chat Noir, the akumas that had been popping up in Paris, but most importantly, to her at least, everything that anyone knew about Hawkmoth was pinned up. Everything was connected together with string and post-it notes were everywhere in her blocky handwriting. It was a stereotypical conspiracy pin board. Casey glanced at the article detailing Hawkmoth's first appearance as a head made up of butterflies. 

"What are you thinking, Casey?" Tali inquired, floating by Casey's head. 

"It just doesn't make sense," Casey replied. "The timeline, the stories, it just doesn't match up." 

"What do you mean?" 

Casey walked to her bedroom, finding her duffle bag resting by the side of her bed. She ruffled through the clothes before grasping a smooth plate. She pulled out a small glass display box with a pure white butterfly inside it. She laid it on the desk, watching as Tali examined it. 

"This was in my mom's old things from Domfront," Casey explained. 

"Yes. She left Domfront when she retired," Tali replied, staring at the case in disbelief. "But she couldn't have possibly..."

"It's a purified akuma. But Hawkmoth didn't exist when Mom lived in Domfront. None of the miraculous were active, so how did she get it? And what does Hawkmoth have to do with all of this?" 

"Are you absolutely sure it came from Hawkmoth and not some earlier holder?" Tali questioned. 

Casey shook her head. "You know how much I've looked into it. There's nothing indicating that there was another active user of the Butterfly. Hawkmoth is the only recent holder of the Butterfly miraculous. He's the only one that could've sent this...It just doesn't make any sense!" 

A light wind rattled the cup on Casey's desk. Tali gave her a scolding look. 

"How many times have I told you that you need to check your emotions? Especially with how long you've been wearing your miraculous-" 

"I know," Casey interjected. "Sorry. It's just so frustrating. Mom kept moving us around after this thing showed up. I wanna know why. Why was Mom so intent on keeping me as far away from it as possible? What made Hawkmoth so interested in her?" 

"Maybe you should ask her," Tali suggested. 

Casey sighed. "You know what'll happen if I do. She'll clam up on me and tell me to stop being nosy." 

A knock on the door sent Tali into hiding. Casey walked over and peered through the peep hole. An older woman with red hair and bright green eyes was on the other side. Casey smiled and opened the door. 

"Hey Aunt Felice," Casey said, letting Felice into her apartment. 

"It's so good to see you, Casey," Felice replied, hugging Casey tightly. 

It had been so long since Casey had seen her aunt that she almost forgot what she was like. The calm, alto tone to her voice, the smell of fresh flowers on her clothes and the way the corner of her eyes crinkled when she smiled. Casey sighed before breaking the hug. 

"I didn't know you were going to stop by," Casey stated a smile stretching across her face. 

"Josue told me you had gotten settled so I decided I would see one of my nieces," Felice replied. "I don't get to see you and Daisy nearly enough. Getting to Portsmouth to see you is almost impossible." 

Casey shrugged. "You know Mom. She really doesn't like Paris." 

"You don't need to tell me," Felice sighed. "Don't you have a roommate?" 

"Tali! It's only Aunt Felice!" Casey called. 

The kwami came zooming out from the back room and squealed upon seeing Felice. She hugged Felice's cheek. 

"It's lovely to see you again, Felice," Tali stated. 

"How are you, Tali? Has Casey been a good student?" Felice asked. 

Tali nodded. "She's been doing wonderfully. She rivals your mother." 

"C'mon, Tali," Casey interjected. "I don't hold a candle to Grandma. She used the miraculous in way I never could."

Felice shook her head with a smile. "I remember when she passed the miraculous to me and Evelyn." 

"It's a shame you decided not to take part," Tali replied. "You would have been a wonderful holder." 

"Eve was better suited than I was." 

"Kinda funny considering that you're the older twin," Casey stated. 

Felice lightly hit Casey on the shoulder. She smiled at her niece before noticing the pin board. Casey followed Felice's gaze and cringed. 

"Casey, I thought your mother told you-" Felice said warningly. 

"Look, I can't keep ignoring it," Casey cut in. "She won't tell me anything about how there was an akuma in Domfront seventeen years before Hawkmoth ever showed up or why it meant that we couldn't stay." 

"All for good reasons." 

"Reasons that she won't tell me," Casey argued. "I'm living on my own now. Saying 'because Mom said so' isn't good enough anymore. Why is she so terrified of Hawkmoth? What's he got to do with our family?" 

Tali looked between the two women. She had also been very curious as to why Evelyn had been desperate to avoid Hawkmoth at all costs, but decided it was best not to push her. Casey, on the other hand, was stubborn enough to push. 

Felice sighed. "Casey, I don't know all that happened, but I know that this isn't something you should be pushing. I'm begging you, don't look into this. There's no telling what kind of things you could find." 

"C'mon, Aunt Felice," Casey groaned. "I can't just leave this." 

"This time, you have to," Felice replied. "This is dangerous. More dangerous than you realize." 

Casey crossed her arms. She wanted to keep arguing. She wanted answers. How was Hawkmoth connected to her mom? The desperate look on her aunt's face convinced her to drop the subject, at least, for the rest of the evening. 

Casey sighed. "Fine. Let's get some food. I'm starving." 

Tali disappeared into the inside pocket of Casey's hoodie. Casey locked up her apartment and went with Felice to a cafe down the street. She quieted the questions buzzing in her head in order to enjoy being with her Aunt again. Casey could find more clues later.


	5. Tight-Lipped

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gabriel decides to keep better track of the state of his cars, Adrien asks Casey questions and Casey has an explosive phone call with her mother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alrighty. For anybody that has read my story on Wattpad, it is being changed. DRASTICALLY. I have come to hate the version on Wattpad and lost inspiration for following the storyline planned out for that version. I have also taken down the version on Wattpad. Hope you enjoy the chapter!

After having one car suddenly break down, Gabriel determined that it was time to have more routine inspections on the cars, not just the standard oil change. He found himself pleased with the work done by the mechanics Nathalie had found and made an appointment for them to come and inspect every car. Still, it came as quite a shock to Adrien to see Josue and Casey entering their house on a Saturday morning. Josue exchanged quick words with his father at the front of the house before Gabriel led them to the garage. 

Casey wasn't quite sure what to make of the house. Sure, she'd seen some pretty big houses, but this one was huge. She felt like she was about to be swallowed whole just by walking through the front door. It would take a family of a dozen to fill a house as big as the Agreste Mansion. Oh, she hoped the garage was at least normal sized. She pulled her mind away from the house's unsettling size and focused on Mr. Agreste, who was explaining their role, not that it really needed explanation. They were mechanics. They repaired cars. Not that hard to figure out. 

"I would like to employ your services once a month," Mr. Agreste stated. "Just inspect the vehicles and if they need anything more extensive than standard care, you will report it to me and we will schedule an appointment for you to come and work. Is that understood?" 

"Yes, Mr. Agreste," Josue replied. 

"Yeah. It's not like we're new to this," Casey mumbled. 

"What was that Miss Barbereau?" Mr. Agreste asked, not being able to distinguish Casey's words. 

"It's an honor to be working for you, sir," Casey replied, putting up a quick customer service smile. 

Mr. Agreste dismissed Casey's comment, though Josue sent her an unamused look. She gave him a sheepish smile and shrugged her shoulders. The garage, unfortunately, was as big as the rest of the house. There were four, posh, silver cars and one care that was hidden under a tarp. Casey bit down on her tongue to avoid making anymore off-hand comments, though Josue noticed her expression and gave her a pointed look. 

"These four cars are the only ones you need to inspect," Mr. Agreste instructed. "The one under the tarp is no longer in use." 

"We'll get straight to work," Josue replied. 

"When you are finished, Nathalie will escort you out." 

Mr. Agreste left them to get started. As they made their way to the first car, Josue gave Casey a light smack on the shoulder. 

"Oh, c'mon, Josue," Casey complained. 

"That mouth of yours will get you into big trouble," Josue commented. "You're lucky he didn't notice your little remark earlier, or your little smirk." 

"I wasn't smirking," Casey replied. "Besides, he was explaining our job to us. That was a little condescending." 

"Yes, but he's the one paying us," Josue pointed out. "So you take it with grace." 

"And four cars that are the exact same model? C'mon, don't tell me you don't find that just a little over indulgent." 

"Maybe I do," Josue conceded. "But I didn't let it show on my face." 

"Alright, fair point," Casey admitted. "What can I say? Customer relations aren't my strong suit. That's why you're the boss. So, where do we start?" 

"I want you to go look at the two cars on the end," Josue answered, pointing across the garage. "I'll work on this side and we'll meet in the middle. If you find any major problems, you call me over. Got it?" 

"Aye aye, captain!" Casey said, giving Josue a salute. 

He cracked a smile. "Get to work." 

While Adrien should have been working on his weekend homework, he was curious to see what Casey and Josue were up to. Nathalie and Gorilla were a little preoccupied to notice him sneak his way to the garage. He found Casey and Josue working in a quiet rhythm. He recalled what happened when he'd startled Casey under the hod of a car and knocked on the door frame. The two mechanics peeked up from the hoods almost simultaneously. Adrien gave them a small wave. 

"Hey, Kid," Casey said cheerfully. "What brings you to the garage?" 

"I just wanted to say hi," Adrien replied. "What are you doing?" 

"Working on the cars," Casey answered, waving her screwdriver nonchalantly. "What else do mechanics do?" 

"What Casey means to say is that we're just checking out the cars to make sure everything's working properly," Josue explained. 

"That's what I said," she stated with a shrug. "You getting curious again, Kid?" 

"A little," Adrien admitted. 

"Well, come on over," she said with a wave of her arm. "Just try not to touch anything dirty. I have a feeling your dad wouldn't appreciate those clothes getting all stained." 

"No, he wouldn't," Adrien confirmed. He looked under the hood of the car and he was quickly amazed at how complex the engine was. "That's a lot of parts." 

Casey chuckled at his statement. "Yup." 

"How do you know what's what?" 

"Experience," Josue answered. "Casey, remember the first time you helped me with a car?" 

"Never forgot it," Casey replied with a smirk. "A 1972 Monica 560. That was a _beautiful _car. If you hadn't been looking I would've doused the entire engine in coolant."__

__"I remember that," Josue mused. "It's still sitting in my personal garage."_ _

__"How old were you?" Adrien asked._ _

__"Lets see. That was, what? My first visit to Paris?" Casey said, biting on her bottom lip. "So...seven?"_ _

__"Sounds about right," Josue replied. "You were very interested in my collection."_ _

__"Who wouldn't be? You don't see cars like yours every day."_ _

__"You visited twice that year," Josue stated. "Then once when you were nine, again when you were twelve and once when you were thirteen."_ _

__"And every time you let me help tinker with one of your cars."_ _

__Adrien peeked over Casey's car as she worked. "So you've been doing this a really long time."_ _

__"Mhm. It was one of the few things I had every time we moved," Casey replied. "My mom got me books, car models, the whole shebang. My family didn't really settle until I was ten, so it was a nice little distraction. Alright Josue. These two are done."_ _

__"No problems?"_ _

__Casey shook her head. "None that I can see."_ _

__"Alright. I'm almost done. Just need another minute."_ _

__"So...did you make a lot of friends?" Adrien inquired._ _

__Casey shrugged and shut the hood of the car. "Not really. I mean, there were three friends I had back in England, but I haven't really had time to call them. What about you?"_ _

__Adrien brightened at being allowed to talk about his friends. Casey was quickly aware of just how friendly the fourteen-year-old could be._ _

__"My best friend's name is Nino. He's a DJ," Adrien said excitedly. "And then there's Alya, and Marinette, and Chloe, Kagami, Luka-"_ _

__"You sound popular," Casey said with a chuckle._ _

__"I just get along with a lot of people," Adrien replied._ _

__Josue closed the hood of the last car. "We're all set, Casey. Let's start packing it up."_ _

__The two collected their tools. Casey encouraged Adrien to keep talking about his classmates, which he was more than happy to do. Adrien was a little sad to see that they were all packed up and ready to leave. They collected their payment from Nathalie and bid him goodbye._ _

__"Feel free to stop by shop sometime," Casey said as they walked out. "Maybe you can introduce me to some of those friends of yours."_ _

__Adrien bounced at the idea of his friends meeting Casey. She was, for lack of a better word, cool. It was nice that she wasn't bothered by him being curious about her work. Though he still doubted that he would personally enjoy working on cars. He went back up to his room to complete his homework. Meanwhile, Gabriel was watching the mechanics leave with interest. He wasn't sure how he felt about Adrien being so social with the girl. She couldn't possibly be a worse influence than that _DJ boy _, but he was still wary. Something about her mere presence was unnerving. Gabriel shook the feeling from his mind and returned to his desk, ready to work, though he was attentive to his miraculous, waiting for signs of another victim to akumatize.___ _

____After a full day of working, Casey was ready to relax. She flopped down on her couch with a soda and let out a content sigh. She would admit, as much as she got a bad vibe from Mr. Agreste, Adrien was a nice kid. She was about to turn on the TV when Tali came floating from her room with Casey's cellphone._ _ _ _

____"You forgot this while you were at work," Tali stated. "Your mother has been trying to call you for the past hour."_ _ _ _

____Sure enough, Casey's phone was vibrating. The contact photo showed a woman who looked just like Felice holding a little girl with black hair and vibrant green eyes._ _ _ _

____"Shit," Casey hissed, taking the phone from Tali. "You don't think Aunt Felice told her about the board, do you?"_ _ _ _

____Tali waved her paws. "Pick up the phone and find out."_ _ _ _

____"I have a feeling I'm dead," Casey whispered as she answered the call. "Heeey Mom. What's up?"_ _ _ _

____"Casey Adalene Barbereau, I hope you are not doing what your aunt told me you are doing."_ _ _ _

____Casey winced. Her mom went straight to the full name. Tali gave her a sympathetic look._ _ _ _

____"I have no idea what you're talking about," Casey replied, shooting Tali nervous glances._ _ _ _

____"So you're not investigating Hawkmoth even though we have told you countless times not to?"_ _ _ _

____"Wha? No. Honestly Mom, I thought you trusted me more than that."_ _ _ _

____"Put Tali on the phone," Evelyn said sternly._ _ _ _

____Casey's eyes widened. "You don't need to talk to Tali. Everything's just fine."_ _ _ _

____"If you have nothing to hide then you should be fine letting me speak to your kwami," Evelyn reasoned._ _ _ _

____Casey had an intense, split second debate with herself. On one hand, not putting Tali on would just serve to piss her mother off even more. On the other, Tali was a worse liar than Casey and would eventually cave because Evelyn was her previous holder. Casey let out a sigh._ _ _ _

____"Alright, fine!" Casey said with a groan. "Yes, I'm looking into the akumas and Hawkmoth, but before you get mad, let me just say that I have a very legitimate reason."_ _ _ _

____"And that reason is...?"_ _ _ _

____"Uh...Well...Screw it. Just get mad already."_ _ _ _

____"We have told you countless times to stay away from Hawkmoth," Evelyn said sharply. "And the minute you get out of our supervision you go and do exactly that! Casey, he's dangerous! What on earth were you thinking?! If you weren't over eighteen I would make you move home right now!"_ _ _ _

____"Okay, I'll admit I may have gone about this in the wrong way," Casey replied. "But I'm not a kid anymore! Mom, you've been making me run away from this guy for seventeen years and you've never told me why! What else was I supposed to do?! Act like there was nothing wrong?!"_ _ _ _

____"You could have trusted my judgement and known that I was doing what was best for you!"_ _ _ _

____"Or you could treat me like an adult and tell me what the hell this guy has been doing in my life for seventeen years!"_ _ _ _

____"Do not use that language with me young lady," Evelyn snapped._ _ _ _

____"Geeze Mom, the only topic you're more secretive about is my dad!" Casey exclaimed, ignoring her mother's reprimand._ _ _ _

____"I am not having this discussion with you," Evelyn stated._ _ _ _

____"Then when are we gonna have it?" Casey asked sharply. "Because I'm done tiptoeing around the subject. I'm here. In Paris. What am I up against here?"_ _ _ _

____"We're done with this, Casey. You need to hang up and calm down before you get akumatized."_ _ _ _

____"Fine," Casey snapped. "Tell Daisy and Charles I say hello."_ _ _ _

____Casey ended the call. If she'd been holding her phone any tighter, she probably would have broken it. She wanted to hurl her phone at the wall! Wind blew through the apartment, rattling a glass on the end table._ _ _ _

____"Casey, you need to calm down," Tali advised. "You're doing it again."_ _ _ _

____Casey took a deep breath and the wind died away. "Yeah, sorry. It's just...so frustrating! You have any idea what this whole thing is about, Tali?"_ _ _ _

____Tali shook her head. "No. Evelyn was incredibly secretive just before she handed the miraculous to you. Bringing up your father was a poor choice on your part."_ _ _ _

____Casey groaned. "Yeah. That was stupid. Bringing up my dad has never ended well."_ _ _ _

____"Just give Evelyn some space," Tali said softly. "Then you can talk to her with a cooler head."_ _ _ _

____Casey nodded. "Definitely a smart idea."_ _ _ _

____"Are you going to put the investigation on hold?"_ _ _ _

____"Nope. In fact, I'm thinking it's time to go to the next step. What do you think about meeting Ladybug and Chat Noir?"_ _ _ _

____Tali's eyes widened. "Casey, you've only seen one akuma in action. Are you insane? Rushing in like that is foolhardy."_ _ _ _

____"Well it's not like Hawkmoth's being particularly active," Casey pointed out._ _ _ _

____"You should still proceed with caution," Tali replied. "Hawkmoth will get active again and being caught unprepared will only cause problems."_ _ _ _

____Casey considered Tali's reasoning. True, she didn't have a full grasp of how powerful akumas could really be, but she was also anxious to learn more, and since both Evelyn and Aunt Felice were being tight lipped on the details, she need another source of info. Tali's worried gaze made Casey take another breath._ _ _ _

____"Alright, we'll observe a few more attacks," Casey said. "Then we'll go meet the heroes. We don't want Hawkmoth to be able to catch us off guard too easily."_ _ _ _


	6. Battle Ready

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette doesn't like school and Adrien isn't oblivious to the class's treatment of their Everyday Ladybug. Hawkmoth finally starts causing trouble and Casey decides it's time to get acquainted with the heroes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we go! Hopefully this chapter turns out good. As always, let me know what you think, feel free to ask any questions or give helpful suggestions.

Marinette was not thrilled. Not in the slightest. After a quiet week, Hawkmoth started getting active again, with a grand total of five akumas in three days. _Seriously _! The guy had no respect for anybody's daily schedule! And, of course, her Wednesday morning started off with the usual tardiness, though she was lucky enough to get to class with some time to spare. Unfortunately, Lila was at it again with her tall-tales. This time, talking about an upcoming trip with her mother to Achu, where she would be continuing her work with Prince Ali. Marinette cleared her throat, causing her classmates to turn all of their heads towards her.__

__"Sorry to interrupt," Marinette said with a forced smile. "Lila, I was just wondering if I could have my seat."_ _

__Sure enough, Lila was sitting in Marinette's spot next to Alya._ _

__"Oh, I'm so sorry, Marinette," Lila replied with an innocent giggle. "I was just talking to everyone about my next trip. I'll move in just a moment. I hope you don't mind."_ _

__Marinette knew better than to try and argue. If she told Lila that she did, in fact, mind, then it would restart the drama from when she first returned. Lila continued to chatter away, and Marinette came to the conclusion that she wasn't getting her seat back, not today, at least. She settled herself in the back row and pulled out all of her stuff, getting ready for another day of lessons._ _

__Adrien noticed that Lila wasn't sitting in the back, but it seemed like everyone else didn't. Adrien was pretty uncomfortable with Lila sitting right behind him. That girl was just... _clingy _. More so than Chloe. He knew better than to say something. That would just cause problems between Lila, him and everyone else. Someone would end up getting upset and/or akumatized. Still, he felt bad for Marinette. Why did she never get a say? Why was she always moved over for Lila? It unnerved him. If she was their Everyday Ladybug, why did she keep getting the short end of the stick? Maybe they could hang out during their free period. He told her they would handle Lila together, so he needed to keep his promise. Yeah, that'd be a good idea. He didn't want to invite himself over to her house. That would be rude. But his father wouldn't let him just bring a friend over. Where he could he go to hang out with Marinette? There had to be some place neutral where Lila wasn't likely to barge in...___ _

____The class was interrupted when a loud crash came from outside. A large akuma came stomping down the streets of Paris. It looked like a monster made of construction equipment. Madame Bustier quickly began ushering everyone to evacuate the school. As students shoved their ways down the stairs, Adrien slipped away to a private place to transform._ _ _ _

____"Doesn't Hawkmoth ever take a break?" Plagg whined. "I was having a nice nap."_ _ _ _

____"We've got work to do," Adrien replied. "We'll worry about Hawkmoth's schedule later. Claws out!"_ _ _ _

____Casey was rotating tires when she heard the crash. The akuma was the biggest one Casey had ever seen, rising above the building by a substantial height. She didn't realize Hawkmoth could even make akumas that big. Tali zoomed out of her pocket and gaped at the akuma._ _ _ _

____"So...you wanna get involved with this one?" Tali asked._ _ _ _

____"Well...it's certainly jumping into the deep end," Casey replied. "Any thoughts?"_ _ _ _

____"You wanted to get experience," Tali said, still staring at the akuma. "I guess this is as good an opportunity as any other."_ _ _ _

____"Casey!" Josue called. "Close up the garage!"_ _ _ _

____"On it!" Casey called back, pulling down the garage doors. "I'm gonna head upstairs and see what the news says about this thing!"_ _ _ _

____"Just make sure to stay inside!" Josue advised._ _ _ _

____"Not likely," Casey muttered as she clambered up the steps to her apartment. "Ready Tali?"_ _ _ _

____Ladybug was the first to arrive at the scene. The akuma, calling herself Wrecker, was a disgruntled construction worker, and she shot different projectiles from her hands to demolish buildings or obstacles standing in her way. Ladybug found that her size caused the most problems. Civilians were running around, trying to avoid being crushed and she had to rush in and save them. Before she could get her bearings and take a good look at the akuma, another civilian would need her._ _ _ _

____"Ladybug! Hand over your miraculous!" Wrecker exclaimed._ _ _ _

____Ladybug rolled her eyes and jumped away from a falling rock. At least Wrecker didn't monologue._ _ _ _

____"Hey Wrecker! What's the matter? Someone knock over your jenga tower?"_ _ _ _

____Ladybug had never been happier to see her partner. She jumped onto a nearby roof and saw Chat spinning his tail while aggravating the akuma. Once he saw that she was up, he made his way over to her, avoiding Wrecker's various attacks._ _ _ _

____"So, M'lady, any idea where the akuma is?" he asked._ _ _ _

____Ladybug shook her head. "Not yet. Wrecker's so big, it's hard to pinpoint something that small. Scatter!"_ _ _ _

____The two heroes jumped back as a large forklift landed where they had initially been standing. Ladybug jumped to a roof across the street, trying to get a view of the akuma's back. Her eyes landed on a small construction vest that was hanging inside of a bulldozer. It wasn't the classic orange, but instead a dark, purple color._ _ _ _

____"Chat, I found it!" Ladybug called._ _ _ _

____Wrecker turned around and threw a cement mixer at Ladybug. Chat called out, telling her to move. Wrecker threw boulder, trucks and forklifts at Ladybug as she dashed across the rooftops. Suddenly, projectiles landed all around her, trapping her in. A large, iron truss came flying at her and Ladybug had no where to go. The truss was about to hit when a girl in a feathered skirt and mask jumped in front of Ladybug and a blast of wind pushed the truss back at Wrecker._ _ _ _

____"Didn't anybody tell you not to play with construction equipment?" the girl asked, staring down the akuma._ _ _ _

____Ladybug took note of the girl's costume. "You! You're the new Eagle-!"_ _ _ _

____"Name's Esprit," the girl replied. "I suggest you regroup with your partner. I'll follow when I can."_ _ _ _

____Ladybug shook herself out of her shock and nodded. She found Chat taking cover behind an AC unit. A look of relief spread across his face when Ladybug landed next to him._ _ _ _

____"Are you okay?" he asked._ _ _ _

____Ladybug nodded. "Esprit helped me."_ _ _ _

____"Who's Esprit?"_ _ _ _

____"The new girl," Ladybug answered._ _ _ _

____"You went to see the Guardian?"_ _ _ _

____"Nope. She got that miraculous all on her own. She was the one that helped us with Medusa."_ _ _ _

____"That was her?"_ _ _ _

____"Yeah, that was me," Esprit stated, jumping down next to them. "Nice to officially meet you guys. So, what's the plan?"_ _ _ _

____"The akuma is in a construction vest in a bulldozer on Wrecker's back," Ladybug answered. "We need to keep Wrecker distracted so one of us can sneak onto her back and take it."_ _ _ _

____"How are we gonna do that?" Chat asked. "Any time one of us gets close, she hurls another giant thing at us."_ _ _ _

____Ladybug thought for a moment. When her brain drew a blank, she threw up her yo-yo._ _ _ _

____"Lucky Charm!"_ _ _ _

____A safety harness fell into her hands. She immediately began scanning her surroundings. Her brain lit up when she caught sigh of a rope hanging off of Wrecker's back, leading up to the bulldozer where the vest was housed._ _ _ _

____"I know that look," Chat said with a smirk. "What's the plan?"_ _ _ _

____"Chat, I want you and Esprit to get Wrecker to stay in one spot, just long enough for me to get to that rope on her back. Use your Cataclysm to create a hole underneath Wrecker's foot and then start distracting her."_ _ _ _

____"You got it," Esprit replied. "You ready, Kit-Cat?"_ _ _ _

____Chat's eyebrows scrunched together. "I'm not sure how I feel about that nickname."_ _ _ _

____"Well, I'm not calling you Kitten," Esprit replied. "Pretty sure that's her thing."_ _ _ _

____"Get to work," Ladybug interjected with a smile._ _ _ _

____Chat and Esprit jumped away and quickly drew Wrecker's attention. She kept up with the akuma, waiting for her opening. Her earrings started beeping, reminding her that she had four minutes left. She heard Chat call upon his power and watched Wrecker's foot sink into the ground. She jumped for the rope and looped it through the harness. She pulled herself up until she made it to the bulldozer and grabbed the vest. She jumped away from Wrecker's back and ripped it in two._ _ _ _

____"Wow," Esprit said with a whistle. "These big ones sure do make a mess. Excuse me. I wanna get out of here before news cameras arrive."_ _ _ _

____Esprit made her way onto the rooftops and disappeared. Ladybug purified the akuma and used her miraculous cure. Everything set itself back to normal. No more crushed buildings, no more overturned cars and no more randomly tossed obstacles._ _ _ _

____"So, she helped us with Medusa?" Chat asked._ _ _ _

____"Yeah. She has the Eagle Miraculous."_ _ _ _

____"Do you think we can trust her?"_ _ _ _

____"She helped us today, and she helped with Medusa."_ _ _ _

____"But she doesn't want to be seen by the news," Chat pointed out._ _ _ _

____Ladybug shrugged. "Maybe she's camera shy."_ _ _ _

____"I have a feeling it's for other reasons," Chat replied._ _ _ _

____Ladybug's earrings beeped again. "We'll talk more about it later. Bug out!"_ _ _ _

____With that, Ladybug launched herself into the sky with her yo-yo, disappearing from view. Chat let out a sigh and began making his way back to the school. He kept thinking about Esprit. Normally, he would be more trustworthy of a new hero, but this girl didn't get her miraculous from Ladybug and they had no clue where she came from or why she was helping them. She didn't have the arrogance that Volpina had had. Quite the opposite. She deferred to their lead, didn't try to wing it. The only thing she did on her own was show up and save Ladybug. He landed in a secure place and detransformed._ _ _ _

____"Camembert," Plagg moaned._ _ _ _

____Adrien smirked and handed Plagg his cheese. "So, Plagg. What did you think of Esprit?"_ _ _ _

____"She knew what she was doing," Plagg answered, swallowing his cheese in one gulp. "Which shouldn't come as a surprise. They train hard to use the miraculous."_ _ _ _

____"Any idea why she's suddenly in Paris?"_ _ _ _

____"Nope," Plagg replied. "Give me another piece of cheese."_ _ _ _

____Adrien produced said cheese and let Plagg indulge himself. Students were returning to the school and Adrien slipped himself into their ranks. With any luck, Wrecker would be the only akuma they would have to deal with today._ _ _ _


	7. Questions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Wrecker's defeat, Gabriel begins processing the arrival of Esprit. Casey heads back to work and Marinette wonders what more there could be to the Eagle heroine.

At Wrecker's defeat, Gabriel went to his office. He tried to glean more informaion from Nooroo about Ladybug and Chat Noir's new ally, but Nooroo was lacking in information regarding her. While he wanted to process all he knew about this new heroine, he really just ended up pacing around the room. Nathalie watched him with concern. It took a lot to get Gabriel to pace. He kept a tight grip on his composure. 

"What's bothering you?" Nathalie asked. 

"This girl," Gabriel answered. "Where did she come from? How did she get a miraculous? What does that miraculous do?" 

"Is it possible Ladybug employed another miraculous from the Guardian?" Nathalie inquired. 

"She never left," Gabriel replied. "The Guardian wouldn't risk showing his identity to give another miraculous to someone. And I can't translate the Grimoire to gain any new information. I can't even figure out what it's the miraculous of." 

"We can figure it out," Nathalie assured him. "If we watch her closely, then perhaps our questions will be answered."

Casey entered her apartment through the window in her bedroom. She was lucky enough that an alleyway provided ample cover for her entrances and exits. She dropped her transformation and let Tali rest on her hand. 

"I think that went well," Casey stated, handing Tali a piece of chocolate. 

"Casey, what are you going to tell Josue?" Tali asked, gesturing to her hair. 

Casey pulled a strand in front of her face and let out a groan. "I don't know. At this rate I'm gonna buy all the hair dye in Paris. Why won't it just stay red?" 

"Because you're dying it red to avoid one of your internal issues," Tali answered with a emotionless expression. 

"Can't you make it stop?" Casey asked, placing Tali on top of her dresser while she began digging through her top drawer. 

"Even if I could, I probably wouldn't," Tali admitted. "You've been avoiding it-" 

"What did I say about the psycho-analyzing?" Casey interjected, pointing an irritated expression at her kwami. 

"Maybe you could get it to stop if you'd listen," Tali replied sternly. 

"I'm not having this conversation." 

"You know, you're more like Evelyn in regards to the fact that you like to ignore certain problems." 

"The conversation is over, Tali," Casey said, a strong warning in her voice. 

"You got her stubbornness, too." 

Casey rolled her eyes as she pulled her hair back into small pigtails. While she loved her short hair, it was difficult to hide it when it magically turned blonde. Yes, Josue was aware that she died it, but hair dye doesn't just disappear in the span of an hour. She grabbed a maroon bandanna out of her dresser and carefully tied it around her head. She looked and the mirror and was pleased to find that her hair was hidden from view. Tali gave a hum of approval as she finished her chocolate and zoomed back into Casey's hoodie. Casey made her way back down to the garage where Josue was opening back up. 

"These akumas," Josue mumbled, shaking his head. "One of these days, Hawkmoth is gonna find himself surrounded by angry Parisians that he can't akumatize and then he'll be sorry for ever showing up." 

"I'd pay to see you fight a super villain," Casey said with a chuckle. "You could run him over with one of your cars and then smack him in the head with a wrench." 

"Don't go giving me ideas," Josue laughed. "I just might do it. How were things looking on the news?" 

"Pretty good," Casey answered, helping Josue pull the doors up. "Ladybug and Chat Noir saved the day like always." 

"Those two deserve medals," Josue stated. 

"They look young," Casey commented. 

"It would take someone young and spry to deal with those nasty butterflies." 

"Yeah, but I mean _young _young. Does anybody know how old they actually are?"__

__Josue shook his head. "They don't give out personal details. They are very protective of their identities. Nadja Shamak learned that when she tried digging into their private lives. By the way, what's with the bandanna?"_ _

__Casey shrugged. "Just wanted to put it on. My hair was bugging me a bit. Not that you'd understand that. How big is your bald patch now?"_ _

__Josue laughed and threw a dirty rag at Casey. "Get back to work. And for the record, Felice loves my bald patch!"_ _

__"Sure, Josue," Casey quipped, heading to her work station. "Whatever makes you feel better. Oh, and don't overwork yourself. Wouldn't want you to throw out your back."_ _

__"Oh, you think I'm that old? I'm only five years older than your mother. Should I tell her what you think of her age?"_ _

__"Don't you dare! I'll never hear the end of it!" Casey laughed._ _

__"Then you'd better stop with the old jokes. Otherwise..." Josue slouched and acted like he was holding a cane and squinted one of his eyes shut. "I'll have to start ranting about how the new generation refuses to respect their elders. You young whippersnappers think you can get away with everything."_ _

__The two mechanics were laughing for a good two minutes before calming down and returning to work. The ability to joke around with Josue is what made Casey love working with him. Ever since she was little, they were always making each other laugh. He never made her feel bad for wanting to laugh and joke around, just as long as she could do her job and do it well. Casey couldn't imagine her life without Josue. She never wanted to._ _

__School was let out for the day and Marinette was happy to head home. The akuma attack had tired her out, almost as much as it had Tikki. What was even better was that her teachers didn't assign a whole lot of homework, so she was free to work on her own projects. Unfortunately, her mind was preoccupied with Esprit's appearance. While she had tried to seem okay with her appearance while talking with Chat, there were still a lot of unanswered questions about her. It was clear that she was older than her and Chat, and she was certainly avoiding being seen for a reason._ _

__"What are you thinking, Marinette?" Tikki asked._ _

__"I'm just trying to figure out how I feel about Esprit," Marinette admitted. "She doesn't seem to have an agenda, but we just don't know so much about her."_ _

__"You didn't know much about Chat Noir in the beginning," Tikki pointed out._ _

__"Yeah, but I knew he was chosen, just like me," Marinette replied. "It just makes me apprehensive. I want to trust that she's here to help but it's hard knowing that even Master Fu doesn't know anything about her."_ _

__"Well, I can tell you what I know about her kwami," Tikki offered._ _

__"Sure. Maybe it'll help."_ _

__"Tali works very hard with her holders," Tikki stated. "More so than any other kwami. She spends years training with them. It's very common for her holders to become saturated in her magic."_ _

__"What does that mean?" Marinette asked._ _

__Tikki paused to think for a moment. "Well, if you were actively Ladybug for years and years, the magic that makes you Ladybug would begin to stick to you in your regular life. Like, affecting the good luck of people around you, or maybe getting to the point where you could purify akumas without being Ladybug."_ _

__"So what would that look like for Esprit?"_ _

__"I'm not quite sure. It's different for each miraculous and it's been a long time since Tali and I have seen each other with holders."_ _

__"Is there anything about today that might have indicated that we can really trust her?"_ _

__"I can't be the one to decide that, Marinette. You have to decide if you're willing to trust her. In the end, I can only advise you."_ _

__Marinette let out a sigh. "I guess we'll just have to ask her questions next time we see her."_ _

With that, Marinette took her mind off of Esprit and buried herself in her sketchbook. Tikki hovered over her shoulder, giving encouragement and comments about the designs. Marinette worked through the entire afternoon, only to be pulled out of her work when her parents called her down for dinner.


	8. Introductions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien takes some friends to meet Casey

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know, I didn't realize this was already eight chapters long. I really need to start moving this plot farther along

Adrien spent his evening in his room, trying to figure out where he could invite Marinette to hang out. He was still very aware of the fact that his father would not allow him to bring a friend over, though he wasn't sure why hisfather had such a disdain for some of his friends. He settled down on his bed and started scrolling through his contacts. He couldn't ask Nino or Alya for any advice, they'd probably want to tag along and bring Lila with. Lila was the last person he wanted to bring along. Chloe and Marinette didn't get along at all. He stopped on Kagami's contact photo. Kagami and Marinette seemed to like each other, ever since they did that whole friendship scavenger hunt. He decided to text her and see what she would say. 

A: Hey Kagami

K: Hello Adrien. Do you need something? 

A: I was wondering if you could give me some advice. Marinette isn't getting to hang out with a lot of people. Do you know a place where we could hang out? 

K: Unfortunately I do not. Are her friends at school not getting along? 

A: It's complicated. I just want to make sure she's doing okay. 

K: If she is feeling alone, maybe you can introduce her to someone new. 

A: I don't know a lot of people outside of school. I mean, I know this one girl, Casey. She's a mechanic that my father employed. I think she's nineteen. 

K: When did you meet her? 

A: About two weeks ago. Our car broke down on the way to a photo shoot. 

K: Would she mind you taking Marinette to meet her? 

A: She did tell me to stop by the garage she works at some time and that I could bring along some friends. 

K: Then I think Marinette would appreciate meeting her. 

Adrien smiled. It would be nice to introduce Marinette to Casey. He thought the two of them would hit it off. Casey seemed like an easy person to approach. As he thought about it, Adrien was struck with an idea. 

A: Kagami, do you think you'd be able to come with? I'm sure Marinette would be happy to see you, and I think you'd like getting to know Casey. 

K: I will ask my mother. If she allows it, I would be happy to meet her. 

Adrien quickly sent a text to Marinette, inviting her to hang out with him and Kagami tomorrow during lunch. Hopefully, the introductions would go smoothly. 

The next day at school, Marinette wasn't surprised to find that she was, once again, pushed to the back row. Lila was regaling the class with tales of a trip to America, where she met with famous directors and screen writers in Hollywood. The only thing that made Marinette hopeful was that Adrien had invited her to hang out with him and Kagami. He said they were going to meet a friend of his. He was being a little secretive about some of the details and she assumed that his father was not going to be aware of their little excursion. Ever since meeting Kagami, Adrien had gotten more bold in sneaking away to meet with his friends. The two were good for each other and Marinette couldn't help but feel a little jealous of the close bond they were forming. 

Madame Bustier walked in and sent everyone to their seats. As everyone sat down, Madame Bustier looked up at Marinette with a confused expression briefly flashing across her face. Whatever she was thinking, she dismissed it and began the lesson. Marinette did her best to pay attention and diligently took notes. The class felt like it was moving at a snail's pace, and Marinette was getting antsy. Finally, the bell rang. Marinette packed up all of her stuff and began making her way down to the door. 

"Marinette, may I have a word?" Madame Bustier asked. 

Marinette paused for a moment before giving her a nod and going up to the teacher's desk. 

"I couldn't help but notice that you were sitting in the back again," Madame Bustier stated. "But neither you or Lila talked to me about switching seats." 

"It just kind of happens," Marinette admitted. "She sits with Alya before class and talks the entire time, and I really don't want to restart that whole argument from the last time I got moved." 

"Marinette, if it's a problem, you can talk to me about it," Madame Bustier replied. "Everyone in this class needs to respect each other." 

"Thank you," Marinette said with a smile. "If it becomes a problem, I'll let you know. Is it okay if I head to lunch? I'm meeting some friends." 

"Of course. Have a nice day, Marinette." 

"You too, Ms. Bustier." 

Marinette found Adrien and Kagami waiting at the front of the school. They waved to her as she made her way down the steps. 

"What did Ms. Bustier want to talk to you about?" Adrien asked. 

Marinette shrugged. "Just the seating arrangement. So, who is this friend we're going to meet?" 

Adrien's face lit up with excitement. "I think she'll love you guys! She's so cool!" 

He started pulling Marinette and Kagami down the street. He had looked up and memorized the directions to Josue's Garage on Google Maps. Marinette and Kagami seemed entertained by his excitement. When Josue's Garage came into view, he broke into a sprint. Kagami and Marinette followed him into the auto shop. 

"Hello, Adrien," Josue said, sitting behind the counter. 

"Hi, Josue," Adrien replied. "These are my friends, Marinette and Kagami. Is Casey here?" 

Josue smiled warmly at the three students. "She's working in the garage. She should be taking a lunch break soon. I'm sure she'll be happy to see you." 

Adrien quickly said thank you and motioned for Marinette and Kagami to follow him into the garage. Casey was working with a car at the far end of the garage. She was under the hood, muttering to herself. Adrien knocked on the doorframe. 

"Yeah, Josue, I'll take my break in a moment," Casey said, a slight tone of annoyance in her voice. "Just let me fix this damn radiator." 

Adrien cleared his throat. "We're not Josue." 

Casey looked up from her work, a few grease spots on her face. She smirked upon seeing Adrien and his friends. 

"Hey, Kid. Pardon the language. Josue's been bugging me to take my break. It gets a little irritating. I'm assuming these are two of your friends." 

Adrien nodded. "This is Marinette," he replied, gesturing to Marinette. "And this is Kagami." 

Casey wiped the grease off of her hands with a rag and offered her hand to the two girls. "I'm Casey. It's a pleasure to meet you. Adrien's told me a lot about you two." 

"Really?" Marinette asked. 

Casey nodded. "I let him chatter away while me and Josue were working on his dad's cars. You're a designer, right? And Kagami, you're a fencer?" 

"Fencing is one of my many hobbies," Kagami stated 

"Well, welcome to my hobby," Casey replied, gesturing to the garage. "It's a little messy, so watch where you step." 

"So, are you on break?" Adrien asked. 

Casey glanced at a clock on the wall. "Actually, my break technically began five minutes ago, but I was having problems with-" 

"That car's radiator?" Kagami guessed. 

"Yup. Anyways, if you wanna sit somewhere that's semi-clean, my apartment is upstairs. I can get you guys some soda." 

"Really?" Adrien asked. 

Casey nodded. "Follow me." 

The stairway up to Casey's apartment was pretty narrow. Casey led the way up and directed them to the kitchen where there was an island with bar stools surrounding it. 

"What kind of sodas do you guys like?" Casey asked as they took seats. "I've got some Cidona and Orangina." 

"What's Cidona?" Marinette pipped. 

"It's an apple drink from Ireland," Casey answered. "It's one of my favorites. My little sister used to sneak them from my stash back home." 

"Is it okay if I try one?" Adrien asked. 

Casey nodded. "Sure. What about you two?" 

"Orangina, please," Kagami replied. 

"Same," Marinette said politely. 

Casey passed them their drinks and poured some Cidona from a bottle into a glass for Adrien to try. Adrien, Marinette and Kagami pulled out sack lunches while Casey made herself a sandwhich. Adrien took a sip of the Cidona. His eyes widened as he swallowed and the three girls started laughing at his expression. 

"What's the verdict, Kid?" Casey inquired, still laughing. 

"This is really good," Adrien stated, staring at his now empty glass. "It's like carbonated apple juice." 

Casey happily passed him the rest of the drink and got her own bottle from the fridge. "Glad you like it. Whenever my family comes over, I'll ask them to bring some more so I stay stocked up." 

"You mentioned having a little sister," Kagami stated. 

"Yeah. Her name's Daisy," Casey said, pointing to a family picture hanging nearby. "They're still living back in England. She'll be turning eleven in a few months." 

"Do you miss your family?" Marinette asked. 

"Yeah, sometimes," Casey answered. "It's a bit time consuming trying to get back to Portsmouth, but if I ever get time off, it'll be easy to arrange. So, how'd Adrien rope you two into coming to a car garage? You guys don't seem the type." 

"Well..." Marinette started. "Why did you invite us, Adrien?" 

Adrien suddenly felt very sheepish. He didn't want to talk about Marinette's situation with Lila in front of Casey and Kagami, especially if she wasn't comfortable with it. 

"I figured you'd want to get away from school for a bit," Adrien stated. "And we haven't had a chance to hang out with Kagami, so I figured the more the merrier." 

Casey glanced from Adrien to the two girls. Something on Adrien's expression told her there was something more to his invitation and she excused herself to give them a little privacy. 

"Adrien," Kagami said. "You should tell her." 

"Tell me what?" Marinette asked. 

Adrien let out a sigh. "I saw that you weren't getting a chance to hang out with the class as much. I told you we were in this together so I figured we could hang out, but I didn't really know where, and I texted Kagami for a little help since the three of us are friends and maybe she'd have an idea. I mentioned Casey and she said maybe I should introduce you to her."

Marinette smiled at Adrien and Kagami. "That was really sweet of you. Thank you, Adrien. I'll admit it's getting harder to hang out with Alya since Lila's always around." 

Casey knocked on the wall and reentered the kitchen. "Sorry to cut this short, guys, but my break is about to end. Do you know when you're supposed to be back at school?" 

Adrien glanced at a nearby clock. "In about ten minutes." 

"We're gonna be late," Marinette sighed. 

"I can ask Josue if I can drive you back to the school," Casey offered. "Which one is it?" 

"College Francoise Dupont," Marinette answered. 

"That's not too far," Casey replied. 

"We should probably go now," Kagami stated. "My mother will be picking me up at the school." 

"Alright, grab your stuff," Casey said, grabbing a hoodie off of a coat rack. 

The three of them made their way back down to the garage. Josue was more than happy to let Casey give them a lift back to the school. His car was parked in the alleyway. Casey got them back to the school with five minutes to spare. Marinette, Adrien and Kagami thanked Casey for letting them hang out and providing them with soda. 

"Feel free to stop by the shop any time," Casey said, handing them a slip of paper. "That's the number for the shop so you can let me and Josue know ahead of time." 

"Thanks, Casey," Adrien replied. 

"Have a good day, guys." 

With that, Casey gave them one final wave and drove back towards the garage. They each looked at the number and copied it into their contacts. Other students were making their way back inside to continue with classes. Marinette and Adrien said goodbye to Kagami and followed their classmates back to class. Kagami was promptly picked up by her mother. Lila watched the three friends depart with disdain written all over her face. Whoever the three of them had gone to meet, she would make sure that she didn't stick around for long.


	9. Berserk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette goes to hang out with Casey and Josue and learns a bit more about Casey. An akuma battle leaves Casey in rough shape, and she's caught on camera. Felice gives Casey a phone call.

Marinette, Adrien and Kagami found themselves going to Josue's Garage more and more over the next three weeks. Whenever Adrien and Kagami had a chance to get away from their parents, the Garage was where they would meet up with Marinette. Sometimes they even went on their own, just to hang out with Casey while she worked. Casey was more than happy to provide them with a hangout spot and some sodas, though she ran out of Cidona, much to Adrien's dismay. Casey. Marinette and Adrien both agreed that while they wanted to introduce Nino, Alya and the others to Casey, they didn't want to bring Lila into the equation. Marinette found that the Garage was a safe haven from Lila, and she wasn't ready to give it up. They still had yet to tell Casey about Lila. The most she knew was that Marinette didn't like school at the moment. 

One day, Marinette was heading to the Garage on her own. Adrien and Kagami were busy with fencing practice, so it was just her. She had her sketchbook with her and was thinking about designing a new tool belt for Casey. It would be a nice surprise, something for her to show her appreciation to Casey for allowing the Garage to become their hangout, and, occasionally, her apartment. She approached the Garage and found that the garage doors were wide open and Casey and Josue were working on the undercarriage of one of their cars. She knocked on the wall as she entered. Josue and Casey looked away from their work and smiled at her. 

"Hey, Mari," Casey said, waving one of her grease covered hands. "There's a spot for you over in the corner and there's a soda in the cooler for you." 

"Thanks, Casey," Marinette replied. "How's the work?" 

"Well, I must say, this client needs to learn to stop riding their brakes so much," Josue stated. "The condition of these brake pads are absolutely abominable." 

"The brakes really need to be realigned too," Casey added. "Don't forget, the emergency brake is in need of some _real _repair, and we still need to rotate the tires."__

__Marinette sat down in the spot Casey had cleaned for her and listened as the two mechanics mumbled about the state of the car they were currently fixing. She got to work on her own project. Marinette wondered what kind of material was best for a tool belt. How could she make it both functional and fashionable? It had to be incredibly durable too._ _

__"So, how's school?" Casey asked._ _

__"The same," Marinette answered. "At least I'm not getting a lot of homework. Kagami and I were going to try and hang out on Sunday."_ _

__Casey nodded. "Sucks that you're not enjoying school more. Any classes you really like?"_ _

__"Not really. I don't hate them, but I don't really love them either," Marinette replied. "Art is always fun, though."_ _

__"I get that. Auto shop was the only class I really enjoyed," Casey admitted. "Everything else was boring...well, I did enjoy taking English when we first moved to England."_ _

__"You were quite the troublemaker when you moved to Portsmouth and got settled," Josue stated._ _

__"Everything that happened was Charlie's fault," Casey said quickly. "I was just trying to keep him from doing something stupid."_ _

__"Who's Charlie?" Marinette asked._ _

__"He's my best mate," Casey replied. "First friend I made in Portsmouth. Has a penchant for schemes. I should probably call him sometime."_ _

__"He helped you get ready for the move to Paris, didn't he?" Josue inuired._ _

__Casey nodded. "Now that I'm finally settled, I definitely need to ring him up. Who knows what he's gotten up to. I'm eighty percent of his impulse control."_ _

__"What kind of trouble did you get into?" Marinette asked._ _

__"Usual stuff," Casey replied. "Lab accidents, clowning around in class, taking bullies down a peg."_ _

__"You dealt with bullies?"_ _

__"I was never the one getting bullied, but I wasn't too keen on letting them get away with it," Casey answered. "People learned very quickly not to pick on people when I was around. Especially if they went after one of my mates."_ _

__"You nearly got suspended for getting into a fight with a girl for picking on your friend Aria," Josue stated._ _

__"Hey, she threw the first punch," Casey argued. "The only thing I did was tell her to quit with the attitude."_ _

__"They must've really appreciated you looking out for them," Marinette said softly._ _

__Casey saw Marinette's expression shift for a second. It was crestfallen. She wondered if there was someone at her school making Marinette miserable. Casey wanted to ask Marinette about it, but figured it wasn't the right time. Casey changed the subject, encouraging Marinette to talk about how things were with her projects. Marinette talked non-stop for the next hour about some new designs she was finishing up. Casey nodded her head, indicating that she was listening to her, while still focusing on her work. When Josue and Casey began to close up shop, Marinette realized that she needed to get home for the evening._ _

__"You want a ride home, Mari?" Casey asked._ _

__"No thanks," Marinette replied. "It's a nice out and my house isn't too far."_ _

__"Alright. Be safe walking home."_ _

__Marinette left the Garage, happy with how her day had gone. Unfortunately, her nice day was interrupted with the screams of alarmed civilians. She followed the sound of the panic and found that there was an akuma. It looked like a man, who stood six feet tall. His skin, hair and suit had been turned bright red. He had super strength and fired lasers from his eyes that turned people into angry monsters. Marinette ducked into an alley and opened her purse. Tikki popped her head out._ _

__"He seems angry," Tikki commented._ _

__"No kidding. Tikki, spots on!"_ _

__Ladybug landed on a roof to observe the akuma. He was calling himself Berserk. As she watched, Chat Noir and Esprit joined her on the roof._ _

__"Talk about seeing red," Chat joked._ _

__"What do we know?" Esprit asked._ _

__"Not much," Ladybug answered. "Avoid his eye beams. They turn you into those."_ _

__She gestured to a group of civilians turned monsters. Esprit cringed._ _

__"Yeah, not how I wanna spend my day," Esprit stated._ _

__"Any idea where the akuma is?" Chat inquired._ _

__"Not yet. I haven't gotten a close enough look."_ _

__"Then let's get a closer look, M'lady."_ _

__"Attack him from behind and the sides," Ladybug ordered. "Then we might be able to surprise him."_ _

__Chat and Esprit nodded in understanding. Chat decided to take him from behind, while Esprit jumped to the other side of the street. Ladybug gave them the signal and they rushed at Berserk. Ladybug swung at him, kicking him towards Esprit, who landed a solid hit on his side with her escrima sticks. Chat managed to jump at him and get him on the ground. Unfortunately, due to his super-strength, Berserk was able to break from Chat's hold. Berserk began firing at them and there were some narrow escapes. The heroes managed to keep him contained, but were unable to spot the akumatized object. The monochrome red didn't exactly make it easy to find._ _

__"Chat, hit the dirt!" Esprit exclaimed, dropping to the ground._ _

__Chat, who was standing next to her, followed her example, avoiding another beam. The two popped back to their feet and jumped out of the way of another attack. The three heroes quickly regrouped on a nearby rooftop. They took a moment to catch their breath. Even with the enhanced stamina their kwamis provided, this battle was taking a lot out of them._ _

__"We really need to find that butterfly," Chat stated._ _

__"I've got an idea," Esprit replied. "If I use my power and look into Berserk's recent sensations, I might be able to pinpoint the akuma."_ _

__"You can do that?" Ladybug asked._ _

__"Maybe. I've never tried to find something so specific before."_ _

__"But then you'll only have another five minutes," Chat said. "We can't risk it."_ _

__Esprit shook her head. "I can hold my transformation after I use my power. "_ _

__"How-?" Ladybug started._ _

__"Long story," Esprit interjected. "And not one we really need to get into right now. Do you want me to use my power?"_ _

__Ladybug exchanged glances with Chat Noir. They'd never fully seen Esprit's power in action. She'd never had to use it, considering the akumas they'd been up against so far hadn't been such pains in the butt. Chat gave her a nod, indicating his approval of the plan._ _

__"Do it," Ladybug said confidently._ _

__Esprit smirked at them. "I won't let you guys down."_ _

__They jumped from the safety of the roof and reengaged with Berserk. He was more determined than ever to hit the three heroes. Esprit waited until Berserk was distracted with attacking Ladybug to activate her power._ _

__"Spirit Wind!"_ _

__Ladybug and Chat jumped away from Berserk. Wind came from Esprit and charged toward Berserk. Just as the wind began to encircle the akuma, a purple butterfly outline appeared on his face. Esprit's face contorted in pain. She wasn't prepared to be slammed with Hawkmoth's mind. She gritted her teeth and struggled to maintain control over Spirit Wind. She sifted through everything she felt from Berserk and Hawkmoth, trying to quiet the screaming of her own head._ _

__"Esprit!" Ladybug shouted, seeing the wind around Berserk begin to get more erratic._ _

__"In his tie!" Esprit exclaimed through gritted teeth._ _

__"Lucky Charm!"_ _

__A pair of scissors fell into Ladybug's hands. She didn't have time to come up with a long, detailed plan. The answer was simple enough._ _

__"Chat!" Ladybug called, tossing him the scissors. "The first opening you get, cut his tie!"_ _

__Chat nodded. Ladybug turned her attention to Esprit, who had sweat beginning to gather on her brow._ _

__"Esprit, when I say, release the wind!" She ordered._ _

__Esprit gave her a tense nod, not even taking her eyes away from the cyclone. Ladybug internally counted to ten._ _

__"Now!" she called._ _

__Esprit released the wind and slumped against a building. Chat jumped at Berserk, who was still incapacitated. He cut the tie before Berserk could even register that Chat was flying at him. Ladybug purified the akuma, then ran to Esprit. She quickly offered Esprit support, which the feather-clad heroine took. Chat ran over to them, still holding the scissors._ _

__"Are you alright?" Ladybug asked._ _

__"My head is killing me," Esprit groaned. "Hawkmoth chose the exact wrong moment to contact his stupid akuma."_ _

__"What happened?" Chat asked._ _

__"I don't know," Esprit admitted. "It was weird. And painful."_ _

__"Maybe the Miraculous cure will fix it," Ladybug said, taking the scissors from Chat. "Miraculous Ladybug!"_ _

__The ladybugs fixed the damage and healed the civilians. Esprit managed to stand on her own, but her head was still pounding. She shook her head._ _

__"Thanks for the effort, Buggy," Esprit replied. "But I think the only cure for this headache is a crap ton of aspirin."_ _

__Before Esprit had a chance to get away, news reporters rushed to the scene. They quickly took notice of the extra hero. The fact that she was a fair bit taller than Ladybug and Chat Noir didn't help._ _

__"Ladybug, who is your new ally?" Nadja Chamak asked._ _

__"This is Esprit," Ladybug answered, glancing at Esprit and noticing her less-than-enthused expression. "She has been helping Chat Noir and I handle recent akumas."_ _

__Ladybug's earrings beeped, giving the trio a reason to excuse themselves. They made their way to somewhere private, away from all the reporters._ _

__"Are you okay?" Ladybug asked. "I mean, you seemed to want to remain in the shadows."_ _

__"It was bound to happen," Esprit replied. "Although, I was hoping it would be a bit later._ _

__"If you're going to be with us for more battles, can we ask you a few questions?"_ _

__"Sure, Buggy," Esprit said. "But maybe at a later time. You two still have secret ID's to keep and your timer's beeping."_ _

__"So, when can we ask?" Chat inquired._ _

__"Maybe while we're on patrol," Ladybug suggested. "We can meet you at the Eiffel Tower tomorrow evening."_ _

__Esprit nodded. "Sounds like a plan."_ _

__They split off from each other, each heading home. Casey got back to her apartment and collapsed on her couch with a groan._ _

__"Wings down," she moaned._ _

__Tali came out of the choker and landed on Casey's chest. Her kwami was in as bad shape as she was._ _

__"I hate Hawkmoth," Tali grumbled._ _

__"Me too," Casey replied. "This is the worst headache I've ever had."_ _

__"Chocolate," Tali whined._ _

__Casey reached into her pocket and handed Tali a square. The pair were settling down, prepared to be miserable with their pain for the night when Casey's phone started to ring. Casey squinted at her phone and let out a groan. Of course Aunt Felice had to call her..._ _

__"Hello," Casey said numbly, holding the phone away from her ear._ _

__"Casey, what on earth were you thinking?!" Felice exclaimed through the phone. "Investigating Hawkmoth is one thing, but revealing yourself to Paris?! Have you lost your mind?!"_ _

__"Could you please not shout? My head is killing me enough as is."_ _

__"What happened?" Felice asked, her voice immediately softening._ _

__"I had a psychic collision with Paris's main super villain," Casey stated. "Tali's not looking so good either."_ _

__"I'm coming over," Felice replied._ _

__"You don't need to do that."_ _

__"Oh yes, I do," Felice said firmly. "You sound horrible, and if it's affecting Tali, then it must have been bad. I'll be over in fifteen minutes with some dinner. Make sure Tali gets enough chocolate."_ _

__"I'm not convincing you that we'll be fine, am I?"_ _

__"Not in the slightest. Take care. I'll be there soon."_ _

__"Love you, Aunt Felice."_ _

__Aunt Felice ended the call. Casey let her phone drop to the floor and provided Tali with two more pieces of chocolate. Casey knew that once her head was better, she'd be in for the scolding of a lifetime._ _


	10. A Very Weak Lie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Casey has a talk with Felice and a short phone call with her sister. Lila tries to get into the Garage

Felice showed up at Casey's apartment with fast food, water bottles and ice cream sandwiches. She gave Casey a chicken sandwich and medium french fry while she dug into her own burger. Tali was fast asleep on the arm of the couch. 

"So, how did you have psychic collision with Hawkmoth?" Felice asked. 

"He tried contacting his akuma while I was using Spirit Wind to find the akumatized object," Casey answered. "It was like getting hit by a train. I haven't had that hard of a time keeping a grip on Spirit Wind since I was twelve." 

Felice rubbed Casey on the back. "Have you taken anything for the headache yet?" 

She shook her head. "It makes my head spin just trying to stand up. Getting back here was a pain in the a-" 

"Watch the language," Felice interrupted. 

"I'm nineteen," Casey argued. "What's wrong with a little swearing?" 

"It's that you over swear," Felice stated, heading to the bathroom to grab an aspirin. 

"What was the news saying?" Casey asked, taking a swig of water. 

"The usual," Felice replied. "Speculating on how you obtained a miraculous. Some of them think you're a replacement for the other heroes." 

Casey rolled her eyes. "Buggy's gonna squash that rumor." 

"Buggy?" 

Casey took the aspirin from her aunt. "What? I'm not calling her by one of Chat's nicknames. That would be beyond weird." 

"Why 'Buggy'?" Felice inquired, chuckling as she sat back down. 

"Because there's only so many variants of Ladybug," Casey deadpanned. "She doesn't seem to mind it." 

"I'm a little concerned that you're getting involved with Ladybug and Chat Noir," Felice stated. "They're very close. You should be careful to make sure you don't come between them." 

"Hey, I'm not trying to take over," Casey replied. "It's their show. And they're good kids." 

Casey caught Felice giving her an amused look. 

"What? They're _literally _kids. They're good with their miraculouses and all, but they're still kids."__

__Felice handed Casey the aspirin and waited for her to swallow the pill. Casey saw Felice's amused expression falter. and let out a sigh._ _

__"You want to scold me, so just get it over with. It's better if you just get mad."_ _

__"I'm concerned," Felice replied. "Casey, what are you doing? Investigating, observing the akumas, I get that, but actually getting involved? Do you have any idea how dangerous that is?"_ _

__"Of course I do. I'm not stupid," Casey said, trying to keep her voice from raising._ _

__"Then why are you getting involved?"_ _

__"Because you and Mom won't tell me anything about what Hawkmoth did," Casey stated. "You won't tell me why Mom was so scared of him, why she made me move all over the country and across the Channel or how Mom even got involved with Hawkmoth in the first place. I want to know what this psycho did to my family."_ _

__"And you won't stop?"_ _

__"I'm too stubborn to quit. So you can give me answers and let me be prepared or I can keep going in blind. One of these days, Hawkmoth's gonna come out in public again and I won't know a thing about how to deal with him unless you tell me something."_ _

__Felice let out a sigh. "Your mother was very quiet about what happened. I didn't even find out about Hawkmoth until she made the move to Eze."_ _

__"You mean she didn't tell you for a whole year?" Casey asked in disbelief._ _

__Felice shook her head. "We didn't even really know he was called Hawkmoth at the time. We knew he was a miraculous holder and had the Butterfly, and he sent Evelyn a letter. You'd have to ask her what was in it. She never told me, but it made her scared that you were going to get hurt."_ _

__"How did Mom even get his attention?" Casey muttered to herself. "If Hawkmoth had been actively using his miraculous for that long we'd see signs of saturation."_ _

__"How do you know about saturation?" Felice interjected, glaring at her niece. "You weren't old enough to remember Evelyn being saturated in magic."_ _

__Casey gave her aunt a meek smile. "So...funny story, and I know that once I finish talking you're gonna be kind of pissed, but _technically _I've been using my miraculous long enough that, on occasion, a little bit of wind will start picking up if I'm not careful."___ _

____"Evelyn didn't start training you until you were six!" Felice exclaimed._ _ _ _

____"Well...see, thing is, Tali started training me as soon as Mom gave me the miraculous."_ _ _ _

____"You mean to tell me, you've been actively training with and using your miraculous for sixteen years?!"_ _ _ _

____"Maayybe," Casey replied, shrinking under Felice's glare. "Can I just say,right now I have a huge headache and it was all Tali's idea and you're my absolute favorite aunt in the world and please don't murder me."_ _ _ _

____Tali let out a yawn and stretched out on the arm of the couch. "The fact that you are still so scared of Felice and Evelyn-"_ _ _ _

____"Zip it," Casey hissed. "You're practically a god, you can withstand their death glares. And how long have you been awake?"_ _ _ _

____"Five minutes," Tali replied. "Felice, don't be so angry. I started training her because she was a lot like Tara and Evelyn was putting off training."_ _ _ _

____Felice decided not to scold the pair, mostly because Tali took the blame for that particular issue. Felice turned on the TV to fill the space since they no longer had anything to talk about. There wasn't much on and they only half-pain attention to the sitcom that was on air. Casey's head started to feel better as time went on with the medicine kicking in. She ran a hand through her hair and quickly realized that she still hadn't dealt with one little problem._ _ _ _

____"And I need to redye it," she sighed._ _ _ _

____"Want some help?" Felice offered._ _ _ _

____"I would greatly appreciate it," Casey replied._ _ _ _

____Before the two could get ready to start working on her hair, Casey's phone rang. Casey's eyes widened when she saw Evelyn's contact photo and bit down on the swear word that she wanted to say. She picked up her phone and got ready for another angry scolding._ _ _ _

____"Hello," Casey said._ _ _ _

____A young girl answered Casey. "It's Daisy."_ _ _ _

____Casey let out a relieved breath. "Hey Dais. I thought you were Mom."_ _ _ _

____"You worried that she's mad about something?" Daisy inquired._ _ _ _

____"Is she mad?"_ _ _ _

____"Big time," Daisy stated. "We saw the news. What was it like working with the superheroes?"_ _ _ _

____"I didn't even know Mom paid attention to the news in Paris."_ _ _ _

____"She's been keeping an eye on it since you decided to move," Daisy explained. "She's _really _mad at you."___ _ _ _

______"Yeah, so was Aunt Felice," Casey replied. "What's the likelihood you guys take a last-minute trip?"_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Very high, but Dad said it would have to wait until the weekend. Says he can't get off work that quickly."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"I'm royally screwed. Mom's gonna kill me."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Most likely. You still promise to come to my birthday?"_ _ _ _ _ _

______Casey rolled her eyes with a small smirk. "If I manage to survive Mom's wrath for three months, then yeah. I'll come home for your birthday. Did I at least look decent on the news?"_ _ _ _ _ _

______"You looked irritated," Daisy answered. "Not really the best first impression when you're trying to be a superhero, Case."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Well, excuse me," Casey replied. "Fighting an akuma isn't exactly an easy job."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"I gotta go. Dad wants me to do my chores and Mom's looking for her phone. Just wanted to give you a heads up."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"What would I do without you, Daisy?"_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Be woefully unprepared for Mom's inevitable rage. Tell Aunt Felice and Josue I say hi!"_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Will do. See you on the weekend."_ _ _ _ _ _

______The call ended and Casey tucked her phone in her pocket. She and Felice got the materials ready for redyeing her hair as she told her about her conversation with Daisy. Felice advised Casey to keep her cool when Evelyn came and eventually got onto the topic of Hawkmoth. Casey, though she dreaded the eventual confrontation, was a little excited for her family to come and visit._ _ _ _ _ _

______Lila went to school the next day with a plan. Over the last few weeks, she'd noticed that it was getting harder to bait Marinette into confrontations, and while she had promised to make the girl lose all of her friends, she wanted it to be on _her _terms, not Marinette's. Marinette's lack of indignation at being at the back of the room most days and the fact that she left most days during free period and lunch to go somewhere else was making Lila's plot difficult. How could she make claims about Marinette hating her or bullying her if everyone knew she was never at school except for when she was in class? Adrien also wasn't giving Lila any informtaion about wherever it was that he and Marinette went to hangout. He never even mentioned it to Nino. So, Lila decided to follow the two as they met up with Kagami and some other boy.___ _ _ _ _ _

________Marinette, Adrien and Kagami had decided that it would be nice to include Luka in their little get togethers at the Garage. After clearing it with Casey, they invited him to come along with them. They met at the steps of the school. Luka had his guitar case on his back and was wheeling his bicycle on the sidewalk._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"So, where is this place you guys wanted to go?" Luka asked._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"It's not far," Marinette assured him. "It's about a ten minute walk from here."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"And Casey and Josue are pretty cool," Adrien added. "You think Casey got anymore Cidona?"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"I wouldn't hold your breath," Kagami replied._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________The four started making their way to the Garage. Adrien, Marinette and Kagami began describing Casey and Josue to Luka. They were unaware that they were being followed by Lila. The garage doors were open when the got there. Casey was inspecting a rusty car when they approached. The three regular visitors knocked on the door frame. Casey looked up from her work and gave them a little salute._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"Hey, guys," she said. "I'm assuming the new kid is Luka?"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Luka nodded his head. "It's nice to meet you. They speak very highly of you."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"I don't do much," Casey replied. "Just let them hang out and drink my soda. Speaking of-"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"Cooler?" Kagami guessed._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Casey nodded. "There's some Orangina for you and Mari. Also some Coke and root-beer. One of those root-beers is mine, by the way."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"When's your break?" Adrien asked._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"About five minutes. Josue stepped out for a minute to go get some pizza, so I'm in charge of the shop."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________They led Luka to the cooler and picked out their sodas, then picked spots by the door to sit in the sun. As soon as Casey finished her inspection of the car, she got a root-beer and joined them._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"So, Luka, you play guitar?" she asked, gesturing to his case._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Luka nodded. "Music is very expressive. I find it interesting to figure out what every person's song sounds like."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"Cool," Casey replied. "So, you think everyone has a unique song?"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Luka nodded again. "Some songs are easier to find than others. Do you play any instruments."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"Nope," Casey answered. "I was never really good at figuring out music. I wasn't made for that kind of work. I'll just enjoy it."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________They began talking about different music that they enjoyed. All of them enjoyed Jagged Stone quite a bit, though Casey admitted to enjoying Rolling Stones and Queen a bit more. All of them agreed that XY was trash, and Casey was appalled to learn that he had even tried to steal work from Marinette and Luka's band. She launched into a tirade about how if a person can't be artistic and relies on stealing from another person then they shouldn't have picked an artistic career and need to learn to grow up._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Josue returned to the shop and dropped off some pizza and informed Casey that he and Felice were going out for a lunch date in a nearby park. Casey assured him that she could watch the shop and sent him off to have fun. Josue gave each of the teens a happy greeting before leaving and they returned to their conversation. As they talked about various topics, Casey noticed someone watching them from across the street._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"Who's that?" Casey asked, gesturing her head to the girl across the street._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Marinette's eyes widened when she saw Lila standing there. Did she seriously follow them?_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"That's Lila," Adrien said, cringing just a little._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"Why do I have a feeling I'm not going to like this chic?"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"Jules told me about her," Luka stated. "Some of the stuff she says is a bit...far-fetched."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Lila realized that she'd been noticed by the group. She decided that she'd been watching and waiting too long. Surely she could spin some believable lie for the mechanic. The mechanic would insist that she stay and hang out with them, maybe even insist that she stay and share in their sodas. Then Lila could start ripping apart their little secret hangout. The mechanic girl stood to meet Lila as she walked over._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"Something I can do for you?" she asked._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"Oh, I was just walking by and noticed my classmates," Lila replied. "I thought I'd say hi. I didn't realize you were here at my uncle's garage."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"Excuse me?" the mechanic asked._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Lila failed to notice the incredulity in Casey's voice._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"Well, not really my uncle, but a close family friend," Lila continued. "Is he in?"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"I'm afraid not," Casey answered. "How, exactly, do you know Josue?"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"Like I said, he's a close family friend," Lila replied, waving her hand and smiling sweetly. "I'm Lila Rossi. I understand if he hasn't mentioned me before. He's always so spacey."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"I think you've got the wrong garage, miss," Casey stated._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"No, this is the right garage. I should know. I was practically raised here when I was little. You know, he let me help work on some of his personal cars."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Casey glanced back at the others, who were watching her with cautious gazes. It was no secret to them that Casey had an extensive history with Josue, and while her accent betrayed the fact that she wasn't raised in Paris, her face showed that she was about a minute away from making Lila leave._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"Why don't I just stay and wait for him to come back," Lila suggested._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"I'll be quite frank," Casey replied, blocking Lila's entry into the garage. "I don't appreciate people pulling lies out of their asses, so I'm only asking you to leave once."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Lila blinked and took a step back. "Pardon?"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"I'm not asking a second time," Casey stated._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"When Josue hears about how you've treated me-"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"He won't even know who you are," Casey snapped. "Now, would you like me to physically remove you, or are you capable of moving yourself like a big girl?"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Lila was infuriated with Casey. She wasn't a native Parisian. There was no way she had been around long enough to get to know the owner well enough to know she was lying! Casey gave her a smug smirk._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"You picked a weak lie to tell."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Lila turned on her heel and left with a huff. Casey didn't stop glaring after her until she turned the corner and was out of sight. Casey sat back down on the concrete and took another slice of pizza._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"Far-fetched? Try downright impossible," Casey said. "That girl reeks of narcissism."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"I know," Kagami replied with an eye roll. "She is detestable."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"Does she always do that?" Casey asked. "Lie to people she doesn't even know?"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"She lies to everybody," Marinette answered with a flat tone. "Gets away with it too."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"You mean, nobody catches her?" Casey inquired, dumbfounded. "Honestly, even if I didn't know Josue as well as I do, I could literally break her entire story just by calling him. If all her stories are as flimsy as that one, how is she getting away with it?"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Kagami shrugged. "Most people will believe anything, though she should be exposed."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"But exposing her will just get her akumatized," Adrien interjected. "I mean, it sucks that she's lying, but maybe she'll learn to stop if we be good role models."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________There was a small silence around the group. Everyone was looking at Adrien with varied expressions. Marinette was numb to his statement. Kagami was confused and Luka and Casey looked at him like he'd just lost his head._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Casey shook her head. "Alright, Adrien, while I totally appreciate the high road sentiment, there is a serious problem with that logic. Haven't you seen other kids do that kind of thing in school before?"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"I didn't start public school until last year," Adrien replied. "I was home schooled."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"Well then, as someone who jumped from public school to public school, let me tell you this: People who lie and don't get called out for it, never get better. Doesn't matter what role models they have because if they lie then their world revolves around them and they get what they want. They won't _want _to stop. Haven't you noticed that girl stirring up trouble?"___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Adrien looked over at the others. They were being awfully quiet. Well, Luka had never really interacted with Lila, so he didn't quite know everything. But Marinette and Kagami had... His eyes widened when he realized how stupid he had been. Lila had gotten Kagami _akumatized _, was forcing Marinette away from her friends on a near daily basis. He'd started this whole thing because he'd noticed that! How did he not consider that trouble?!___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________"I'm an idiot," Adrien stated, staring at the floor in shame._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________"Nah, you're just new to this," Casey replied. "Navigating public school is a pain in the ass. People are bound to make a few mistakes."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________"I'm sorry, guys," Adrien said, looking at Marinette and Kagami. "I should've know better."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________"You've realized it now," Marinette replied._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________"And it's more important that you learn from your mistakes," Kagami added._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Casey stood up and stretched her back. "While this is great and you're learning valuable life lessons, you do need to get back to school, and I can't give you a ride this time."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________With fifteen minutes left in their lunch period, the five students grabbed their things and started walking back. Casey walked with them to the corner before heading back to the Garage. Adrien and Marinette returned to class to find Lila surrounded by their classmates, sobbing hysterically._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _


	11. Answers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lila gets the class wrapped around her finger regarding a certain mechanic, Casey reminisces about her school experience, and the three heroes have a q and a session with each other.

To say Marinette and Adrien were confused would be putting it lightly. They had absolutely no clue what was going on and why all of a sudden, almost every single eye turned towards Marinette with a death glare. The only people not looking ready to kill were Alya and Nino.

"Um...what's going on?" Adrien asked. 

"Lila says Marinette sent your _friend _to harass her during lunch," Kim sneered.__

__"I never sent anybody," Marinette replied. "Adrien, Luka and Kagami were with me the whole time."_ _

__"The mechanic girl was bad enough," Lila cried. "Why do you hate me so much?"_ _

__"Alright, everybody calm down," Alya advised. "I'm sure this is all just a misunderstanding. Marinette doesn't even know a mechanic."_ _

__"No, I do," Marinette piped. "Her name's Casey. Adrien and I were hanging out with her during lunch."_ _

__"But she only talked to Lila once," Adrien said quickly. "When Lila tried to get into the Garage she works at."_ _

__"My uncle's garage!" Lila sobbed. "She wouldn't even let me inside!"_ _

__"Josue's not you uncle," Marinette snapped. "Casey already told us that was a lie."_ _

__"Marinette, why would you say something so mean?" Rose squeaked. "Lila's clearly distressed."_ _

__"For no reason," Marinette pointed out. "Go find Luka. Ask him what happened."_ _

__"Or, we can call Josue, right now," Adrien suggested. "I'm sure he's back at the Garage by now."_ _

__"No, we can't bother my uncle while he's a work," Lila protested. "He could be under a car."_ _

__As Adrien and Marinette were about to suggest actually _calling _said mechanics, Ms. Bustier walked into the classroom. Adrien followed Marinette to the back of the room where they sat, avoiding the dirty looks most of their classmates shot them. Well, they were more pointed at Marinette than Adrien. Alya and Nino were absolutely confused, especially Alya, who had ended up sharing a seat with a still 'distraught' Lila.___ _

____"I have a feeling this isn't over," Marinette sighed._ _ _ _

____"What would she get from lying about Casey? No one here even knows her," Adrien whispered._ _ _ _

____Marinette shrugged. "To be fair, Lila doesn't like anybody that can figure out when she's lying. My guess? She thinks she can get Casey into trouble by making everybody here think she's a jerk."_ _ _ _

____"We should probably pay attention to class," Adrien stated. "We can head back and warn Casey after school."_ _ _ _

____Marinette nodded and the two focused their attention on Ms. Bustier. Although, Marinette wouldn't help but wonder what exactly Lila thought she could do to Casey by lying to the class. Obviously, she was alienating Marinette from the class, but that wasn't a hard feat to accomplish at this point. She didn't need to bring Casey into it. She couldn't really do anything to Casey anyways. Marinette had only seen Casey interact with Josue, Felice, her, Adrien, Kagami and Luka, all of whom already knew or would be informed that Lila was the biggest liar on the planet. Anybody Lila thought she could alienate Casey from would be in England. What exactly was the point?_ _ _ _

____The dirty looks continued for the rest of the school day. Adrien had to go straight home, so Marinette had to go see Casey on her own. She walked into the shop to find Josue behind the counter. Josue was surprised to see Marinette show up. Normally, they limited themselves to visiting once a day to make sure they didn't disrupt Casey and Josue's work day._ _ _ _

____"What can I do for you, Marinette?" Josue asked._ _ _ _

____"I came to give Casey a warning," Marinette replied. "Did she tell you about Lila?"_ _ _ _

____"The girl that claimed to be my niece? Yes, she did," Josue answered. "Is she stirring up trouble?"_ _ _ _

____Marinette nodded. "Is Casey in the Garage?"_ _ _ _

____"She's upstairs. Her folks sent her some of the last of her stuff from Portsmouth. She's getting it sorted."_ _ _ _

____"Thanks, Josue."_ _ _ _

____Casey was in her living room, sorting through boxes on the floor. Marinette cleared her throat, getting her attention._ _ _ _

____"Something wrong, Mari?" Casey asked, noticing Marinette's frown._ _ _ _

____"It's about Lila," Marinette answered. "She was spreading a lie about you at school."_ _ _ _

____"What kind of lie?"_ _ _ _

____"That I'd sent you to harass her and you wouldn't let her into her uncle's garage."_ _ _ _

____Casey rolled her eyes. "You know, I'll bet, if that brat doesn't learn to zip her mouth, she'll wind up in big trouble."_ _ _ _

____"You don't seem too concerned," Marinette stated._ _ _ _

____"What exactly is she gonna do?" Casey replied. "Police get involved, she gets in trouble for lying. She can't try to get me fired because then she gets outed. I don't particularly care what a bunch of random college students think about me, so she's not damaging some sort of reputation."_ _ _ _

____Marinette smiled at Casey's confidence. "So she backed herself into a corner."_ _ _ _

____"A nasty one at that. She does realize I'm an _adult _, right? I've got more important things to deal with. At most, she's a mosquito. A general annoyance."___ _ _ _

______"So, you'll just ignore her because it's not worth your time?"_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Maybe," Casey replied. "Depends. Mosquitoes are pests, and unless they leave you alone, they get squashed. So, she better leave me alone, or I'll give her a lesson on where her little lies will get her in the real world."_ _ _ _ _ _

______Marinette eased upon hearing how undisturbed Casey was with the whole situation. She looked down at the boxes Casey was sorting through._ _ _ _ _ _

______"So, what did you get from home?" she asked._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Some old year books, pictures, a few of my model cars, and apparently-" Casey held up a stuffed clownfish. "a nice little buddy from my sister to keep my company."_ _ _ _ _ _

______Marinette knelt down next to Casey and picked up the year book from her last year of school. Casey didn't object as she started flipping through the pages. Casey made brief appearances on a few pages, mostly at large events, like a school rally. She paused when she saw Casey in a picture with the school soccer team._ _ _ _ _ _

______"You played soccer?" Marinette asked._ _ _ _ _ _

______Casey nodded. "My mom got me playing once we'd settled down. She thought it would be a good way to get some energy out and make some friends. Kept playing through school. That's how I met Aria and Danny."_ _ _ _ _ _

______Casey pointed to the two girls standing on either side of her. One was as tall as Casey, with choppy, brown hair. The other was a little shorter and had a head of blonde curls. Casey had her arms around the two girls and had a wide smile on her face._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Danny's the brunette," Casey stated. "I think you would've liked her. She was incredibly determined. If you tried to get in her way on the field, she'd run right through you. Definitely the most aggressive of us, but off the field she was kind. Kept me and Charlie out of trouble when she could."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"What about Aria?" Marinette inquired, pointing at the blonde._ _ _ _ _ _

______"She was sweet. Kind of shy when she didn't know people very well. Smarter than me and Danny by a mile. Went to university to study medicine."_ _ _ _ _ _

______Marinette kept flipping through the book and found another picture of Casey washing a car with a boy. He held the hose and was spraying water at Casey while she was shielding her eyes and laughing. The boy had spiky, black hair and freckles all over his face._ _ _ _ _ _

______"That's Charlie," Casey said. "You've heard about some of our antics."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"What were you supposed to be doing?"_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Washing the car, but Charlie will insist that I was in dire need of a shower and his little prank was totally justified."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"So, do you still keep in touch?" Marinette inquired._ _ _ _ _ _

______"I try," Casey answered. "Charlie's still in Portsmouth and working in a garage over there. Danny went to university in London to study business. It's been harder to keep in touch since moving, but that's just life sometimes."_ _ _ _ _ _

______Casey continued to sort through the boxes. Marinette glanced at her phone and noted that it was time for her to head home. Casey walked her to the corner again, then returned to her apartment. When Marinette got home, Tikki flew out of her bag and sat on her desk._ _ _ _ _ _

______"It seems like you and Casey are getting really close," Tikki said with a smile._ _ _ _ _ _

______"I'm glad that I met Casey," Marinette replied. "And it's nice to know that Lila doesn't intimidate her."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Do you know what questions you'll ask Esprit when you see her on patrol?" Tikki inquired._ _ _ _ _ _

______"I guess I just want to know why she didn't show up sooner," Marinette answered. "And why she originally wanted to stay out of the public eye. Do you think she knows anything else about Hawkmoth?"_ _ _ _ _ _

______"It's possible," Tikki replied. "If you want to meet her and Chat Noir at the Eiffel Tower, you'd better hurry."_ _ _ _ _ _

______Marinette glanced outside and saw that the sun was beginning to set. "You're right, Tikki. We need to get going."_ _ _ _ _ _

______Marinette transformed and began making her way towards the Tower. As she got closer, she made out two people sitting on a high truss. They were Chat Noir and Esprit. She landed next to them and took a seat._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Glad you could make it, M'lady," Chat said with a smile._ _ _ _ _ _

______"I hope I didn't keep you guys waiting," Ladybug replied._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Nah. Kit-Cat and I just got here," Esprit assured her._ _ _ _ _ _

______"How's your head?" Ladybug asked._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Better," Esprit answered. "Lots of ice cream, an aspirin and a good night's rest were the perfect remedy."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"What happened?" Chat inquired._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Psychic collision," Esprit explained. "I was trying to read Berserk's mind while Hawkmoth was trying to contact him. Neither of us were prepared for the other to be in the same head, so, thoughts collided, quite violently."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Can it happen again?" Ladybug piped._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Probably, if circumstances align like that again," Esprit admitted. "But, after that encounter, I'm going to make sure that I'm prepared for that possibility. Now, I know there's more you want to talk about than just the most recent akuma attack. Go ahead and ask your questions."_ _ _ _ _ _

______Ladybug exchanged a quick look with Chat Noir. He motioned for her to ask the first question._ _ _ _ _ _

______"I guess...Hawkmoth's been active for a year. Why did you choose now to show up?" Ladybug asked._ _ _ _ _ _

______"I was researching Hawkmoth before I decided to get active in the situation," Esprit replied. "The amount of info I could get from just researching wasn't enough anymore and I decided it was time to get some answers in person."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Why were you researching Hawkmoth?" Chat inquired._ _ _ _ _ _

______Esprit ran a hand through her hair. "It's complicated...seventeen years ago, Hawkmoth was active. I know it can't have been for long, maybe a day or two, but he was. And he sent a message to someone. I don't know much about it, but I know it was bad."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"How do you know he hasn't been active this whole time?"_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Because he's not showing the signs I started to show when I became saturated with miraculous magic," Esprit stated. "It takes a long time of actively using a miraculous to cause saturation. If he had been using it for that long, he would've showed the signs when he came out in public."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"So, why did you not want to be seen by the public?" Ladybug asked._ _ _ _ _ _

______"I wasn't ready for my family to know what I was doing."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Your family knows about your miraculous?" Chat piped, shocked that Esprit would have told them about it._ _ _ _ _ _

______"It's different with you guys," Esprit stated. "My miraculous...it's..."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"It's been handed down throughout your family," Ladybug guessed. "The Guardian said that's what would happen if the person selected to be Tali's chosen retired from using the miraculous. They would pass it down to one of their children"_ _ _ _ _ _

______Esprit nodded. "We've handed it down mother to daughter. My family has guarded this miraculous for generations. Trust me when I say, we don't take the responsibility of a miraculous lightly. I was taught to never share this secret with anyone until they were apart of the direct line of passing the miraculous."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"What does that mean?" Chat asked._ _ _ _ _ _

______"It means I don't tell extended family," Esprit explained. "I tell the secret to my immediate family, no one else."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Does it make it easier?" Ladybug asked softly. "Having your family know that you have a miraculous?_ _ _ _ _ _

______Esprit stared down at the people below. "I don't know. I think there's a strength to both. As a legacy, I have someone to turn to, to ask for help, but I also have a high standard to uphold as another holder in a long line of legacies. While you have the resolve to keep your miraculous secret, the strength to power through the challenges, but it can become incredibly lonely walking that path alone."_ _ _ _ _ _

______The three heroes fell silent. Esprit was right. Both methods had their own strengths and weaknesses. There was no perfect way to keep a secret. No perfect way to be a miraculous holder._ _ _ _ _ _

______"My kwami said you train hard to use the miraculous," Chat stated._ _ _ _ _ _

______Esprit nodded. "We do. Tali's power, much like your Cataclysm, can be...touchy. It takes a lot of rigorous mental and physical training in order to fully control it."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"And you're able to hold your transformation after using your power," Chat continued._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Learned how to do that last year. That takes _a lot _."___ _ _ _ _ _

________"Do you think you can train Ladybug and I?" Chat inquired. "It might help us defeat Hawkmoth sooner, and we could become stronger as a team."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Ladybug's eyes widened. "That's a great idea! What do you think, Esprit?"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"I can do my best," Esprit replied, glancing between the two heroes. "I'm warning you now, I'm not kidding when I say that my training was hard. You will have to give more blood, sweat and tears than you've ever had to give. I'm not taking any half-assed commitments."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Chat nodded excitedly. "We'll be all in. The best students you've ever had."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"The only students I've ever had," Esprit pointed out._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"We've never done anything half-way," Ladybug said confidently. "We'll give you everything we've got."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"Once a week," Esprit said firmly. "We'll meet...at the Arc de Triomphe. Bring extra masks and things to obscure your identity out of costume."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"Will we be lowering our transformations?" Ladybug asked._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Esprit nodded. "Not every time. But there will be some moments where you can't have the enhancements your kwamis give you. I think Saturday evenings will work best."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Chat, Ladybug and Esprit worked out the details for these new training sessions before bidding each other goodnight. Chat an Ladybug were excited to see what they would learn. Esprit was nervous about what she was going to teach them. All three of them believed that whatever they would learn, it would bring Hawkmoth closer to his downfall._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a little bit different, mostly just because I didn't want to say anything until the end. Thanks for the support. It's really encouraging to see the number of hits go up so fast. It makes it a lot easier to keep writing. Second, a little informal poll: Of the three friends Casey has back in England, which one would you guys most like to meet? Charlie, Danny or Aria?


	12. Revelations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Casey's family comes to Paris and she has a long-dreaded conversation with Evelyn. Evelyn tells Casey some things that rock her world, and her little sister pulls her back down to earth.

The weekend came quickly. Everyone was quick to notice Casey's anxiety at the thought of her family coming to Paris. There were two things that eased her nerves. One: The fact that Evelyn had had a few days before making the trip meant that there was a possibility that she wouldn't be completely furious. It was a slim chance, but a chance nonetheless. Two: Family visit meant that Daisy would be coming, and Casey relished any opportunity she had to hang out with her little sister. 

She was finishing up with Josue in the shop on Friday. Things had been quiet all day and Casey was expecting them to show up soon. 

"I think that's everything," Josue stated. "You're free to head upstairs and clean up." 

"Why would I need to clean up?" Casey asked. 

"Casey, I say this in the most sincere way possible," Josue replied. "You are a slob." 

"My apartment isn't that messy..." 

Josue raised an eyebrow at Casey. "So you're telling me there won't be boxes strewn all over the place and a recycling bin full of empty soda bottles and misplaced mail, magazines and newspapers?" 

Casey opened and closed her mouth a few times before sighing. "You see what you did, Josue? You made me self-conscious. Now I've gotta go and check my apartment." 

"I didn't make you self-conscious," Josue replied as she dashed up the stairs. "You just realized that I was right." 

Casey's apartment certainly wasn't the cleanest in the world, but it wasn't the messiest. Still, she felt the need to show her family that she was capable of taking care of her own place. With Tali giving her words of encouragement, Casey rushed to clean up some of her stuff. Her mail was tucked neatly into a bill holder, recycling and trash was taken out, kitchen counters were cleaned, and left over boxes from moving were stored neatly in a closet. She made her way to her bedroom to put away some laundry that she'd left sitting in a basket in the living room. Her bed was pushed into a corner and Tali had her own bed on the bedside table. Casey's dresser had pictures from home across the top, and her conspiracy board was hanging on the wall across from her bed (she had moved it there after Adrien, Kagami and Marinette had first ventured into her apartment). 

Casey sighed and placed the laundry basket on her bed. "Tali, I have a feeling tonight isn't going to go over well." 

Tali perched on top of Casey's head. "Well, it'll be better to clear the air with your mother rather than let it fester the whole weekend." 

"You think she'll tell me anything?" 

"I think if you can keep your temper in check, Evelyn will realize that you're not a child anymore." 

A knock on her front door made Casey jump. She took a steadying breath and went to open the door. 

"Casey!" a girl with black curls squealed, tackling Casey in a hug. 

Casey returned the hug and quickly regained her balance. "Hey Daisy. What's with the tackling?" 

"I've missed you so much," Daisy replied. "The house is so quiet when you're not around." 

"I've called home," Casey pointed out. 

"That's not the same thing," Daisy said with a pout. 

"Daisy, let your sister breathe." 

Casey looked up and saw her step-father, Charles. Daisy looked like Charles as much as Casey looked like Evelyn. Daisy had his black, curly hair, pointed nose and round face. Instead of green eyes, which were all Evelyn, Charles had dark, brown eyes. He gave Casey a warm smile. 

"Hey, Charles," Casey said, returning the smile. 

"It's good to see you, Casey," Charles replied. "How's Paris life treating you?" 

"It's going pretty good. I'm pretty much settled in." 

"And how long have you been working with Ladybug and Chat Noir?" Evelyn asked, making he way into the apartment. 

Casey shut the door behind her mother. Charles and Daisy quickly made their way to the couch, not wanting to be in between the two. 

"No 'how are you, Casey', no 'you look well', just jump right into it," Casey stated with a sigh. 

"Well, best to get it out of the way," Evelyn replied. 

"Maybe we can have this conversation in private," Casey suggested. 

Evelyn made no objections as Casey led her to her bedroom. Evelyn's eyes narrowed at the sight of Casey's conspiracy board. Casey ignored her disapproving look and took a breath. 

"I haven't been working with them long," Casey answered. "Just a handful of akuma attacks." 

"And you didn't think there was a reason we told you to stay out of it?" Evelyn asked sharply. 

"Well, considering you've refused to tell me said reason, I think I made a reasonable decision." Casey said, trying to keep her voice from rising. "So, how do we want to do this? Do you want to yell at each other until we both get exhausted and risk an akuma or do you want to talk this out and start treating me like an adult?" 

"I want to know why you're so fixated on this issue," Evelyn answered. 

"Because you've been running away from this guy since I was two!" Casey exclaimed. "And I don't understand why! What did he do? How did you even meet Hawkmoth? What did he want? And how many times can I pulverize him for scaring you that much?" 

Casey put her hands up to stop her mother from yelling and took another breath. She couldn't yell. They both had to stay calm. Tali patted her on the head, encouraging her to take a moment. She put her hands down and motioned for Evelyn to answer her. Evelyn was a little shocked. She hadn't expected Casey to want to punish Hawkmoth for trying to hurt her. 

"Casey...I don't want you to try and face Hawkmoth for me," Evelyn stated. "You are my daughter. The last thing I want is for you to be near that man." 

"Mom, I can't sit back and let him keep terrorizing people," Casey replied. "And I'm done letting him terrorize you. So can you please be honest with me and tell me what happened?" 

Evelyn glanced up at Tali, who was still sitting on Casey's head. The kwami nodded encouragingly at Evelyn. Casey waited patiently. Finally, Evelyn reached into her purse and pulled out an old, crinkled envelope. 

"Is that the letter Hawkmoth sent you?" Casey asked. 

Evelyn nodded. "Honestly, I should have known that you wouldn't give up on this. Ever since Hawkmoth emerged and you found the butterfly, you've been determined to figure it out." 

Evelyn handed Casey the letter. Casey held it gingerly, as if it might disintegrate in her hand. 

"Casey, you will look at me differently after you read that," Evelyn stated. "I want to warn you. You may become ashamed of me." 

"You're my mom. You raised me on your own for ten years and always told me I was wanted. You're the strongest person I know. One letter won't change that." 

"You're wrong. Casey, I was young, I was stupid-" 

"Wait," Casey interjected. "You say that every time I ask about-"

"Your father, yes," Evelyn sighed. "Do you know why I'm so strict about you protecting your miraculous?" 

"Because Tali is a part of our family and her power can be incredibly dangerous," Casey answered. 

"That's true. But that's not the only reason...Casey, I told your father about the miraculous." 

Casey's eyes widened. "You _told _him? When? Why? I thought you said-"__

__"It was a one night stand," Evelyn interjected. "We were friends for a while and we just made a mistake. We didn't care about each other in that way. _I _made a mistake. I shouldn't have told him about the miraculous. We went out separate ways after that. I moved to Domfront two months after and found out I was pregnant."___ _

____"Wait. Did my dad...not know about me?"_ _ _ _

____Evelyn shook her head. "I was never able to contact him after I left for Domfront."_ _ _ _

____Casey tried to process that new information. She'd never asked a lot about her father. Evelyn had always told her that it was a mistake. Not that Casey was the mistake, but that that one night stand was a mistake. Casey had always thought that maybe her father had gotten scared and run off or left her mom when someone else came along. But he didn't even know that she existed. Casey shook her head._ _ _ _

____"I don't understand," Casey said. "How does that relate to Hawkmoth?"_ _ _ _

____"When Hawkmoth contacted me, it was about the Eagle Miraculous," Evelyn replied. "He wanted to know more about it. He threatened to come and take it. I don't know why he wanted it, I don't even know how he found out. I was scared. Scared that he might come after us, that he might try and hurt you. Casey, you were my whole world, and when that letter came, I was terrified that I would lose you. I couldn't take the chance. So I ran."_ _ _ _

____"So there's a connection between my father and Hawkmoth."_ _ _ _

____Casey pinned the envelope to her board and placed a red string between it and a photo of Hawkmoth at the center of the board. There was one question still lingering in her mind._ _ _ _

____"Casey, I know that look," Evelyn stated. "Please, don't ask me. Just leave this be. Stay safe."_ _ _ _

____"Mom, I can't," Casey replied. "What's the point in staying safe if at any given moment that could change in a heartbeat. All it takes is Hawkmoth remembering who you were and a quick little google search to find me and then he could get his hands on Tali."_ _ _ _

____"But-"_ _ _ _

____"Mom, I have to follow this through," Casey said firmly. "He's going to pay for going after us. So...will you tell me who my father is?"_ _ _ _

____"It's time she knew, Evelyn," Tali piped. "You can't protect her for the rest of your life. She has to do this."_ _ _ _

____Evelyn nodded. "Alright. Casey, just promise me you'll be careful."_ _ _ _

____"I promise. I've got Tali watching my back. As long as she's around, I'll be just fine."_ _ _ _

____"I will look after her, Evelyn," Tali promised._ _ _ _

____"His name is Gabriel Agreste."_ _ _ _

____Casey's eyes widened. Evelyn started talking about how the two of them met in university, how they became good friends and they did stupid stuff students in university did. Casey wasn't really paying attention. Her heart dropped to her stomach. She had been to his house. She'd almost made fun of the fact that he had four cars that were identical. She was supposed to go back next weekend with Josue to inspect his cars again!_ _ _ _

____"Casey?" Evelyn asked, noticing her daughter's vacant expression._ _ _ _

____"I've met him," Casey said quietly. "I _work _for him!"___ _ _ _

______"What do you mean?"_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Holy crap, I've got a brother!" Casey exclaimed, grabbing her hair. "I've been letting him and his friends hang out in the Garage for weeks and he's...we're...I've got a brother!"_ _ _ _ _ _

______Wind started blowing through the room, rattling the picture frames on Casey's dresser. She hardly noticed. She was trying to sift through all of the new information in her head. Tali floated down in front of her face and made Casey look at her._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Casey, take a breath," Tali instructed. "You have to calm down. You're panicking."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"No shit, Tali!" Casey replied sharply._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Casey," Evelyn said, placing a firm hand on Casey's shoulder. "You're processing a lot. It's okay that you're shocked, but you have to slow down. Breathe with me."_ _ _ _ _ _

______Casey listened to the collected coaching of Evelyn and Tali. Her breathing and her heart rate slowed down and the wind disappeared from the room. Casey found herself staring at the red string connecting the letter and Hawkmoth. Was Gabriel Agreste the man terrorizing Paris?_ _ _ _ _ _

______Casey grabbed her hoodie and started walking towards the door. Charles and Daisy watched Evelyn and Casey come back to the front room, cautiously glancing between the two. Casey barely paid any attention._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Casey, where are you going?" Charles asked._ _ _ _ _ _

______"I...I need to clear my head," Casey replied. "I'm going for a walk."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Can I come with?" Daisy asked._ _ _ _ _ _

______Casey saw how worried Daisy was and gave her a half-hearted smile. "Sure, Dais. Is that okay with you guys?"_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Just be careful," Evelyn advised. "Do you want us to order anything for dinner?"_ _ _ _ _ _

______Casey shrugged. "Whatever you guys want, I'll eat. I don't really care."_ _ _ _ _ _

______Daisy followed Casey out of the apartment and onto the street. The two sisters were quiet for a moment. Daisy kept her hands clasped behind her back and stared up at Casey._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Is everything alright between you and Mom?" Daisy asked._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Yeah, Mom and I are fine," Casey answered. "She just...told me some stuff that's hard to swallow."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Like what?"_ _ _ _ _ _

______"She told me who my dad is."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Isn't that a good thing? Now you can find him and meet him."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"It's not that simple, Daisy. I have met him, by some cruel twist of fate, but we didn't know we were related."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"So...do you not wanna tell him?"_ _ _ _ _ _

______Casey shook her head. "I'm not sure, Daisy. It's really complicated."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Why?"_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Well...I don't know how to explain it...It's just a lot to process right now."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"You're still my sister, right? You're not gonna leave our family for your birth dad?" Daisy asked._ _ _ _ _ _

______Casey didn't know why, but that got her to laugh. "Don't worry, Daisy. I'm still gonna be a part of our family. Can we talk about something else, other than my complicated family life?"_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Sure," Daisy replied with a shrug._ _ _ _ _ _

______Daisy's eyes widened when she saw an ice cream cart up the road. Casey recognized it as Andre's Ice Cream. Daisy started tugging on her arm._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Lets get ice cream!" Daisy cheered._ _ _ _ _ _

______"We're having dinner when we get home," Casey pointed out._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Hasn't stopped you from buying me ice cream before," Daisy stated._ _ _ _ _ _

______Casey smirked down at her little sister. "Race you to the cart!" she exclaimed, taking off._ _ _ _ _ _

______"No fair! You got a head start!"_ _ _ _ _ _


	13. Listening

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ladybug and Chat Noir have their first training session with Esprit. Casey has a heart-to-heart with Evelyn and Charles.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Sorry for taking a bit of a break, I'm trying to get onto a weekly schedule for updating the fic. Also, I will not be able to update during the second week of June as I won't have access to technology during that week. Hope you enjoy this chapter. Let me know what you think and feel free to ask any questions. Constructive criticism is always welcome!

Saturday came and Marinette was nervous. She wasn't sure what to expect when evening came and she began training with Esprit. Master Fu had encouraged her to learn all she could from Esprit, stating that it was not uncommon for holders of the Eagle Miraculous to be strong mentors for other miraculous holders. Nevertheless, Marinette was nervous. She spent all of Saturday morning working on a ladybug mask that she could wear, if Esprit really had her and Chat Noir detransform. 

"Tikki, what could Esprit teach us if she had us detransform?" Marinette inquired, putting the finishing touches on her mask. 

"Hard to say," Tikki replied. "The last time an Eagle heroine was a part of the team, she taught other holders how to utilize residual magic, but you won't show signs of saturation for many years." 

"Maybe she'll show us what it's like," Marinette theorized. "Prepare us for what it might be like." 

"That's not a bad guess," Tikki said, nodding her head. "Though, every holder is different." 

"Well, we'll just have to wait and see," Marinette stated. "C'mon, Tikki. There are still a few things I have to do before we meet them."

Adrien was working on a mask of his own. He, unfortunately, didn't have the sewing expertise of his partner. He managed to find a black mask in his closet from a costume party he attended when his mother was still around. The mask still fit, he just wanted to make it more Chat Noir. Plagg sat on his shoulder and watched him work. 

"I sure hope she doesn't make you detransform a lot," Plagg stated. 

"You hate when I transform for a long time," Adrien replied, giving his kwami a raised eyebrow. 

"Yeah, but I hate being babied even more," Plagg explained. "Tali is a mother hen in every sense of the word. She treats me like a kitten, even though I'm older by a thousand years." 

"I'll pack an extra wheel of camembert," Adrein offered. "Then you can gorge yourself on cheese while we're training." 

Plagg perked up. "You make a tempting offer..." 

"You'd also get to see Ladybug's kwami," Adrien added with a smirk. 

Plagg didn't respond to that comment. He sat on Adrien's shoulder and stared at the wall, probably weighing the pros and cons. It allowed Adrien to finish his work in relative peace. 

Casey spent the majority of her Saturday showing her family around Paris, an idea from Evelyn. Daisy was excited by the city, asking Casey and Felice a million questions. Being out of the apartment and away from her pin board made Casey less focused on the whole debacle with her... the whole debacle with Gabe- Mr. Agreste. Jeez, she didn't even know what to refer to him in her head! Evelyn gave her a small smile and put her arm around her. Casey was grateful to her mom for trying to get her to stop thinking about it. 

"Casey, have you been to the Eiffel Tower?" Daisy asked, pointing at the structure as they walked by. 

"Once," Casey answered. "Got a pretty good look of the city. I was higher than most people are able to go." 

Evelyn shuddered. 

"Don't worry, Mom. It was a casual meeting," Casey assured her, lowering her voice to a whisper. "No akumas." 

"Even with Tali, you being up that high makes me nervous," Evelyn admitted. 

"I'm not gonna fall." 

"I'm still going to worry." 

"Casey! Look at all these padlocks!" Daisy exclaimed, running onto the bridge. 

The day was quite uneventful, unless chasing after Daisy as she ran to every new thing could be counted as eventful. Daisy was tired out when they returned to Casey's apartment. With a quick check of the time, Casey realized that she needed to get ready to meet Ladybug and Chat Noir. 

"Sorry to have to leave you guys," Casey said, making herself a sandwich. "But I've gotta go soon." 

"Something with Ladybug and Chat Noir?" Felice guessed. 

Casey nodded. "I can't put it off. Besides, maybe I can teach them a few tricks." 

"Be careful," Charles piped. 

"Don't worry. I'll be fine," Casey assured him. "It's just training." 

"Do you know when you'll get back?" Evelyn asked. 

"Late. You guys don't have to wait up for me." 

"We'll leave some food out for you and Tali," Evelyn replied. "Don't push them too hard." 

"They'll be the ones pushing. They're an ambitious team." 

Casey bid her family goodbye, grabbed a mask from her room and transformed. Night had fallen when she arrived at their meeting spot. The streets were deserted and the only light they had came from the streetlights. Ladybug and Chat Noir showed up not long after her. All three of them were ready to go. 

"So, what's the first lesson?" Chat Noir asked. 

"Depends," Esprit replied. "What do you want to know?" 

Ladybug and Chat Noir exchanged glances. Esprit knew they were having a silent conversation of sorts, but she couldn't quite figure out what they were telling each other. 

"How can we learn to hold our transformations after using our power?" Ladybug asked. 

"That's a tricky thing to learn," Esprit stated. "It can happen naturally when you get older, or you can learn how to do it early." 

"Did you learn to do it early?" Chat inquired. 

Esprit nodded her head. "About a year or two before it would've happened naturally. It's a nifty trick to have in your pocket." 

"So how do we learn it?" Ladybug asked. 

"First things first, learning this is gonna be hard," Esprit stated. "Not just on you, but your kwamis. You'll be pushing your bodies to handle more power than what you're used to and they'll be sharing more power than they're used to." 

Ladybug's eyes widened with concern. "It won't hurt them, will it?" 

"No. Just tire them out," Esprit explained. "They've probably done this before with other holders, it's just a skill they need to get used to using again." 

"So, how do we start?" Chat asked. 

"You have to learn how to hear your kwami," Esprit explained. "They're lending you their power, and if you concentrate, they can lend you their wisdom." 

"I'm not sure if wise is a word I would use to describe my kwami," Chat joked. 

"I'm sure he's wise in his own little way," Esprit chuckled. 

"How do we hear our kwamis while we're transformed?" Ladybug inquired. 

"You have to quiet your mind and focus. Picture them, listen for their voices. They'll speak, they always speak when your transformed, you just can't hear them." 

Ladybug and Chat closed their eyes, focusing only on what they could hear. Ladybug could hear wind whistling by them, a few stray cars driving by and the breathing of Esprit and Chat. She tried to make Tikki the center of her thoughts. They were silent for what seemed like ages. As Ladybug continued to focus, she heard a quiet whisper. 

_Marinette ___

__"I heard Tikki!" Ladybug said, opening her eyes._ _

__Esprit put her finger to her lips and gestured towards Chat. His face was scrunched up in concentration. His cat ears were twitching. Ladybug put her hands over her mouth and looked over at Esprit, her hands hiding her sheepish smile. After another few minutes, Chat opened his eyes with an excited smile._ _

__"I actually heard Plagg!" He said, bouncing from excitement. "It was so quiet, but I definitely heard him!"_ _

__"Yeah, it was so quiet," Ladybug commented._ _

__Esprit nodded with a smirk. "They're hard to hear. It's a hard skill to learn. There's only been a handful of holders that have learned how to do it, according to Tali, anyways. The better you get, the louder they'll get."_ _

__"So, do you always hear your kwami?" Chat asked._ _

__Esprit shook her head. "Most of the time I do, but there are times where it's hard to hear her. Usually when my thoughts get muddled or I'm choosing not to listen to her."_ _

__"Why would you choose to not listen to your kwami?" Ladybug piped._ _

__Esprit shrugged. "Because we don't always agree and I can be, in her words, excessively stubborn."_ _

__Esprit had Ladybug and Chat try listening to their kwamis again. After that, she began to physically drill them, having them spar against each other. They tag teamed against her a few times and they were close matches. They had been training for a few hours and it was late into the night when Esprit sent them on their way. She made her way back to her own apartment and detransformed. Evelyn and Charles were on the couch with Daisy sleeping across their laps. The only light in the room came from the t.v. Casey handed Tali a piece of chocolate and the kwami settled herself on the arm of the couch._ _

__"Food's on the counter," Evelyn told her._ _

__"I told you, you didn't need to wait up for me," Casey replied, walking to the kitchen._ _

__"But we did," Charles stated. "We just wanted to make sure you got home."_ _

__Casey returned with a glass of water and sat down on the last cushion of the couch. Tali was already fast asleep._ _

__"Hair's still blonde," Evelyn commented._ _

__"Yeah, and I'm not dyeing it until morning," Casey sighed. "You know, a lot of my budget either goes to bills or hair dye."_ _

__"You could just leave it blonde," Charles suggested. "It would be less of a hassle."_ _

__Casey shook her head. "No thanks. I've been dyeing it since I was fourteen. I'm not breaking that streak. Besides, red suits me better."_ _

__Charles shrugged. "So, what are you teaching the heroes?"_ _

__"They want to learn how to hold their transformations," Casey answered._ _

__"That's not going to be easy," Evelyn stated._ _

__"Nope. I've got them learning how to hear their kwamis, and working on building stamina."_ _

__"How long were you having them spar?" Evelyn inquired._ _

__"A few hours."_ _

__Things fell silent for a few moments. Casey was happy with the silence. It gave her time to catch her breath. The training had been hard and it had cleared her head. Still... her brain started running back to her pin board._ _

__"Casey, is everything alright?" Charles asked. "You've been in and out of it all day."_ _

__"Yeah, I'm fine," Casey answered. "Just...I guess I'm still a little shocked about everything that happened yesterday."_ _

__"Your mom told me," Charles replied. "Is there anything you want to talk to us about?"_ _

__Casey leaned her head on the back of the couch. "I dunno... I guess it was just a lot. You know I've got a brother?"_ _

__"Have you met him?" Charles asked._ _

__Casey nodded. "He comes over all the time with some of his friends. What am I supposed to do next time I see him? I can't just pretend like I don't know anything and...how would _he _react? That's a pretty big bombshell to drop on somebody and what if he has this image of his dad that's the complete opposite of mine and I just shatter it? I mean, yeah, I'm not the biggest fan of him and I don't really know what I think right now and there's the whole Hawkmoth debacle that I need to figure out, but...I don't know what to do with all of this. I can't think of a next step to take."___ _

____"Casey, it's okay to not know what to do," Evelyn said calmly. "You don't have to figure everything out in a heartbeat. That's too big of an expectation to have on yourself."_ _ _ _

____Charles put his arm around Casey. "Your mother's right. You're only nineteen. Take your time to figure this out. When the time comes, you'll know what you need to do. Do you like when this boy and his friends come around?"_ _ _ _

____"Yeah. He's a really good kid. A little sheltered, but good. I like being able to answer his questions."_ _ _ _

____"You've always liked knowing things," Evelyn commented._ _ _ _

____"Do you want to tell him?" Charles asked._ _ _ _

____"Maybe," Casey answered._ _ _ _

____"Take it one day at a time," Evelyn suggested. "See what you learn and, if you ever feel the time is right, you can make the decision to tell him."_ _ _ _

____"What about your birth father?" Charles inquired._ _ _ _

____"I'm not sure I want to tell him," Casey admitted. "Not until I know more about the situation. Besides...I think he'd just kick me out. He doesn't seem the type to accept a kid that he didn't know about. Especially if they're just a mechanic."_ _ _ _

____"Do you know what your mom told me when we'd been dating for a month?" Charles asked, getting Casey to shake her head. "She told me, 'Charles, I want you to know that I've got a sweet little girl that I need to take care of. She's my whole world. I would like you to meet her, give her a chance to get to know you.'"_ _ _ _

____"I think you're exaggerating what I said," Evelyn piped with a warm smile._ _ _ _

____"It was something along those lines," Charles replied. " Either way, remember when your mom brought me over the first time?"_ _ _ _

____"Didn't I accidentally throw a screwdriver at you?"_ _ _ _

____"Well, yes. Not exactly the best start," Charles admitted with a laugh. "You were still having a bit of trouble with English, but I knew enough French to figure out what you were trying to say and you showed me every single model car you'd ever collected."_ _ _ _

____"I'm pretty sure I talked your ear off for a good two hours," Casey stated._ _ _ _

____"And your mom put you to bed and I told her just before I left 'Evelyn, you've got the sweetest little girl. Any man would be lucky to be her dad.' So, if you do tell your birth dad and he thinks you just a mechanic, he's blind. Always remember that you've got a family right here, and you're the best daughter I could have ever asked for."_ _ _ _

____Casey smiled and leaned against Charles's shoulder. "Thanks, Charles."_ _ _ _

____Casey's eyes started drooping and she was out in about a minute. Evelyn smiled at her two daughters._ _ _ _

____"It looks like we're stuck on the couch for the night," Evelyn stated._ _ _ _

____"It would appear so," Charles replied. "Even if we could move Daisy, I think Casey's a little too big for us to carry her to bed."_ _ _ _

____The two settled down for the night and made sure the girls were sleeping comfortably. Charles turned off the t.v and everyone in the Burton/Barbereau family was finally asleep._ _ _ _


	14. Answers in the Attic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alya and Nino begin asking Marinette and Adrien about Lila. Gabriel and Nathalie decide to investigate Esprit, starting with any extra info Gabriel might have lying around in the attic and Gabriel realizes that there's a possibility that Casey is more than just a mechanic.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was a little weird to write. Mostly because I'm a sucker for salt fics regarding exposing Lila Rossi, but I'm also a little like Adrien in the regard that I want to believe that there's good in almost everyone (and by that I mean everyone but Lila) and that Nino and Alya can't be total idiots Also, writing Gabriel's little investigation was weird. With a man that cold, how the heck do you write a good revelation/reaction?!?!  
> P.S: No update next week. Feel free to let me know what you think. :)

Casey's family went back to England Sunday afternoon, after Daisy and Casey had made a mess of her bathroom, because Casey just couldn't say no when her sister begged to help her color her hair. Casey saw them off at the train station and found that she now had an idea of what to do. While she wasn't ready to tell Adrien about their connection just yet, she was prepared to dive into investigating Mr. Agreste's connection to Hawkmoth. Of course, for her to really get anywhere, she'd actually need to see said super villain, and from what she'd read, he was a pretty nasty person to meet. When Monday rolled around, she kept her eyes and ears open, waiting for him to make another public appearance. 

Marinette was tired when she got to school. She'd been working hard with Tikki all weekend, and it took a bigger toll out of her than she expected. She was so exhausted that she didn't even bother to say good morning to her classmates. She just went to the back and plopped into her seat. Marinette was almost settled and was using her arms as a pillow when Alya approached her. 

"Is everything alright?" Alya asked. 

Marinette nodded with a small yawn. "Just tired. I was doing a lot of work this weekend." 

"Is that all?" 

"Yeah. Why?" Marinette asked with another yawn. 

Alya's brows furrowed. "I guess...Lila was telling me about something." 

Marinette's brain jolted awake at the mention of Lila. She gave Alya a gesture to keep going. 

"She said you and your mechanic friend cornered her in the park," Alya explained. "That you were threatening her. I just wanted to talk to you about it because I _know _you wouldn't do that to somebody."__

__"I didn't see Casey all weekend," Marinette replied. "Or Lila, for that matter."_ _

__"Is it possible that Casey saw Lila?" Alya questioned._ _

__"Probably not. She told us she was spending the weekend with her family while they visited Paris and that she wouldn't be able to hang out with us at the Garage."_ _

__Alya crossed her arms and stared down at the floor. Marinette watched as gears started turning in the red head's mind. She waited for Alya to speak._ _

__"So...Lila was lying about both times when she said this girl-"_ _

__"Casey," Marinette said._ _

__"Casey-" Alya replied with a nod. "harassed her. And you said Lila wasn't related to the person who owns the garage she tried to visit?"_ _

__Marinette shook her head. "Casey and Josue have a long history. He's a family friend of hers. If Lila had any connection to Josue, Casey would have heard of her."_ _

__Alya glanced at the seat where Lila was sitting. "Can I sit back here with you? Just to talk about stuff?"_ _

__Marinette nodded and gestured for Alya to take a seat. Alya started asking questions, like how Marinette and Adrien met Casey, what happened when Lila tried to get into the Garage. Marinette answered all of them with patience. It began to dawn on Alya that she had been a little too eager to listen to Lila's stories. The fact that she lied about Marinette and Casey made her question what other stories Lila might have embellished. Her eyes widened when she realized that Lila might have lied in her interview for the Ladyblog._ _

__Marinette and Alya dropped the conversation when Madame Bustier started class. It was hard for Alya to concentrate on what exactly was being taught when her mind kept replaying everything since Lila had returned to school. There was a growing sense of guilt in Alya's heart when she considered that she hadn't been a good best friend to Marinette._ _

__Lunch rolled around and Alya was on her way to meet Marinette, Nino and Adrien at the bakery._ _

__"Hey, Alya!" Lila called, running up to her with a smile. "I was about to head out to lunch. Want to come along?"_ _

__"Sorry, Lila, I've already got lunch plans," Alya answered. "Maybe some other time."_ _

__Lila's smile faltered. "Oh...okay. Yeah. Definitely."_ _

__Alya gave her a half-hearted nod and made her way to the bakery. As soon as Alya entered, she was greeted with warm smiles from Tom and Sabine._ _

__"The others are already upstairs," Sabine informed her. "They're waiting for you."_ _

__"Thanks Mrs. Dupain-Cheng," Alya replied._ _

__Alya walked upstairs and found Marinette, Nino and Adrien sitting on the couch with a plate of croissants between them. Alya took a seat between Marinette and Nino._ _

__"So...how many lies has Lila told?" Alya asked, picking up a croissant. "I mean, was this lie about your friend, Casey, the first?"_ _

__Marinette shook her head. "She's been lying about a lot of stuff."_ _

__"Basically everything she's been telling people since she came back to school," Adrien clarified._ _

__"Wait, you knew she was lying?" Alya asked, shocked that Adrien would have let someone lie so much._ _

__Adrien nodded. "I...went about dealing with it in the wrong way. I thought if we just left her alone and set a good example, then maybe she'd learn to stop. Then Marinette seemed a little lonely because of it, so I introduced her to Casey."_ _

__"Tell us about her," Nino piped. "She sounds pretty cool."_ _

__So Adrien started from the beginning, about the little mishap that led to him meeting Casey at the Garage and how she and Josue were contracted by his father to routinely inspect the cars. Once he started explaining how Casey had let him, Marinette, Luka and Kagami use the Garage as a hangout spot, Marinette started jumping in, filling in some details. Once they had recounted how Lila had followed them to the Garage, Nino and Alya were filled to the brim with mixed emotions. They were furious with Lila for spinning so many lies, relieved that Adrien and Marinette had found a place to escape from her, and guilty for letting Lila string them along so easily._ _

__"Girl, I'm so sorry," Alya said, holding Marinette's hand. "I should have listened to you and not written you off. Some journalist I turned out to be."_ _

__"Hey, don't say that about yourself," Marinette replied. "You're a great journalist, you just got bad information."_ _

__"But it's my job to fact check my info," Alya reasoned. "I have to take Lila's interview off the blog. I'll have to completely rebuild my reputation."_ _

__"I'm sure your viewers will understand what happened," Adrien piped. "And it's not important information regarding akumas, just some girl making a claim to fame."_ _

__Alya took deep breath and nodded her head. "You have a point, but I still need to apologize to my viewers."_ _

__"So, what do we do about Lila?" Nino asked._ _

__Marinette and Adrien exchanged glances. Marinette had to admit, calling Lila out hadn't really ended well for her, but just letting her lie was going to end up with someone else getting hurt. Casey had managed to get away with it, but she didn't have anything that Lila could threaten. How were they supposed to deal with her in school when they didn't have that kind of freedom?_ _

__"I'll admit, I want to expose her," Marinette sighed. "But that didn't end well. She'll just spin the story some other way."_ _

__"But...we can't let her keep doing this," Adrien added. "Casey was right. She's stirring up trouble. Did you ever tell her that Lila had started spreading lies about her?"_ _

__Marinette nodded. "She's not too concerned. Said that if Lila wants to pick a fight with her, then she'll just end up in trouble."_ _

__"Why not make it so she exposes herself?" Nino suggested. "Make Lila do all the leg work?"_ _

__"How do we do that?" Adrien inquired._ _

__"I'm not entirely sure," Nino admitted._ _

__Alya glanced at her phone and noticed the time. "We'll have to figure that out later. We need to get back to school. And at some point, I expect to meet Casey."_ _

__Alya gave a pointed look to Adrien and Marinette. The two teens in question shared a knowing smile. Their secret hangout was becoming not-so-secret. They would probably have to call Casey and ask if she was okay with two more people coming over._ _

__School ended quietly. Lila noticed Alya and Nino coming back from lunch with Adrien and Marinette. Lila couldn't help but seethe at the sight. First, Marinette had to get all buddy-buddy with Adrien and they got a little secret club together, and now they're trying to start actively hanging out with Alya and Nino. What would it take to get Marinette to just vanish?! What did she have to do?! Honestly, it was bad enough that Lila couldn't find a believable lie to throw at Marinette, but she wasn't even getting remotely riled up about her stupid mechanic friend! Where was Hawkmoth? She wanted one of those stupid butterflies..._ _

__Gabriel was not too concerned with the emotions of one Lila Rossi. While the girl had many uses when he needed a powerful akuma, he couldn't waste time akumatizing her. Too many times and Ladybug and Chat Noir would begin to anticipate her, like they did with Mr. Pigeon. So he continued to ignore the emotions his brooch was picking up on. In fact, he had been ignoring the brooch most of the time. He didn't want to make another move until he knew more about Esprit. Ever since Berserk and the nasty headache he'd gotten from that psychic encounter, he couldn't shake the feeling that he knew the miraculous. He vaguely remembered a time just after he and Emilie had found the Butterfly and the Peacock Miraculous. Emilie had started getting faint just from trying to learn how to use the Peacock Miraculous. There was a miraculous that they'd tried to find._ _

__"Gabirel?" Nathalie asked, entering his office. "Is everything alright?"_ _

__"Yes, Nathalie, I'm fine," Gabriel replied. "Just thinking."_ _

__"It's been awhile since you tried to create another akuma," Nathalie observed. "Are you sure the encounter with Esprit didn't cause any lasting damage?"_ _

__"Yes, I'm positive," Gabriel assured her._ _

__As Gabriel retreated back into his thoughts, he decided he needed to do some digging. He called Nathalie and they went to the attic of the mansion. Normally, Gabriel would never step foot in the attic, but given that it was a sensitive subject and he couldn't risk anyone figuring out his identity, he made the trip himself. There were boxes filled with some of his things from when he went to University. Some were filled with Emilie's old belongings. He tried to avoid looking at those things._ _

__"Gabriel," Nathalie called. "Is this what you're looking for?"_ _

__Nathalie was digging through a box hidden in a corner of the attic. She handed Gabriel an old notebook. His handwriting was all over the book. He scanned the pages when his eyes landed on two words scrawled across the top of a page in the middle of the book._ _

___Eagle Miraculous_ _ _

____The page had only the bare basics of the miraculous: what the miraculous looked like and the name of the kwami that inhabited the Miraculous. Gabriel racked his mind, trying to remember where he had learned of the Eagle Miraculous. The dates in the notebook showed that it was about three years before he and Emilie had begun experimenting with their own miraculous. It was even from before he and Emilie had gotten married._ _ _ _

____"What else is in the box, Nathalie?" Gabriel asked._ _ _ _

____"Nothing much," Nathalie answered. "There's an old picture."_ _ _ _

____Nathalie held up a simple, wooden picture frame for him to look at. He could tell it was from his time at University, probably just before he'd graduated. He was standing with a young lady with red hair and green eyes. Gabriel remembered that woman...Evelyn was her name. They had been good friends, but they had lost touch. His eyes landed on a choker around Evelyn's neck. Gabriel's eyes widened when he realized that it matched the description of the Eagle Miraculous. Looking at the picture, he remembered, one time when he had sent a butterfly to someone, along with a letter. He had been trying to learn how to fix the Peacock Miraculous and had tried to obtain the Eagle Miraculous._ _ _ _

____"Is everything alright?" Nathalie asked, noticing Gabriel's shocked expression._ _ _ _

____"This woman, Evelyn, she was the previous holder of Esprit's miraculous," Gabriel stated. "Esprit has the Eagle Miraculous."_ _ _ _

____"Do you know how to contact her?" Nathalie inquired._ _ _ _

____Gabriel shook his head. "I was never able to find her after the first time I tried to collect her miraculous."_ _ _ _

____"She looks similar to Josue's assistant," Nathalie mused._ _ _ _

____Gabriel squinted down at the picture. He saw the resemblance between the young mechanic and his former friend, the only difference being that Ms. Barbereau had gray eyes instead of the green. He recalled how he and Evelyn had split ways and started doing mental math. His hands started trembling and he nearly dropped the notebook in his hands. Nathalie put the picture frame down upon noticing Gabriel's paling face._ _ _ _

____"What's wrong?" she asked._ _ _ _

____"Nathalie, I think, perhaps, we need to learn more about Ms. Barbereau," Gabriel stated._ _ _ _

____"Do you think she's related to Esprit?"_ _ _ _

____"I believe...she might be related to me."_ _ _ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeesh, Casey and Gabriel's next meeting is going to be awkward...


	15. Inquiry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gabriel tries to get his head on straight, Adrien learns that Lila is spying on him and Casey goes back to the Agreste Mansion to do her job.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back! Thanks for your support of the fic. I hope it's living up to your expectations and you're all enjoying it.

Gabriel was on the verge of panicking, and Nathalie knew, it took a lot to make him panic. Once he'd divulged what exactly had happened between him and his old friend Evelyn, Nathalie could see why he would have been...troubled. She tried to assure him. For all they knew, the girl's resemblance and age was just a pure coincidence. Barbereau was a pretty common name, wasn't it? Maybe Evelyn had a sibling and the girl was their child. Yes, they refused to use Casey Barbereau's name. It merely caused Gabriel to spin back into his mental observations. Nathalie wasn't entirely sure why the idea scared him so much. Was he scared because if he was correct then he could be classified as an absentee parent? That perhaps he had failed to care for someone who could've meant something to him? Was it possible he was worried about something like this being made public? There were many reasons, each more plausible than the last, for why Gabriel was an anxious mess. 

"Josue and the girl are supposed to come on Saturday to inspect the cars," Nathalie stated. "Would you like me to reschedule?" 

Gabriel shook his head. "Perhaps we can use it as an opportunity to learn more about her. The sooner we know for sure, the better." 

Nathalie nodded and gave Gabriel a comforting pat on the shoulder. "I'm sure everything will be fine." 

Despite her attempts at comforting him, Gabriel could not calm down. He couldn't fathom the idea that he'd had a daughter all these years. He decided to throw himself into his work. Perhaps taking his mind off of the situation for a while would give him some clarity. He knew that he had to have his composure back by the time Adrien returned from fencing. 

When Adrien came home from fencing, he wasn't surprised to find that his father was locked away in his office. He went to his room and plopped on his bed. Plagg floated out of his fencing bag and laid down on his chest. 

"You know, I like this whole quiet phase Hawkmoth is going through," Plagg stated. "It means more time to sleep." 

"It's nice," Adrien admitted. "It might make training with Esprit easier." 

"She didn't waste time jumping in," Plagg grumbled. "You could just wait for your transformations to last longer." 

"Is someone complaining about the extra work?" Adrien teased. 

"Don't patronize me," Plagg replied. "It's exhausting work, sharing power with you." 

The kwami and the boy let out yawns. It was a good thing Nathalie hadn't noticed his change in demeanor. He really didn't want to get in trouble for missing out on a little sleep. Plagg and Adrien settled in for a nap. Everything was quiet and they were about to doze off when Plagg's ears twitched. They continued to twitch, and Plagg's hearing picked up on a conversation happening in the entrance hall. He cursed his super hearing but concentrated on the conversation. Plagg quickly picked out Gabriel's voice and the voice of sausage hair. He poked Adrien, stirring his chosen. 

"For once, I'm actually letting you sleep, and now you're waking me up?" Adrien groaned. 

"I hear something," Plagg replied urgently. "I don't think it's good." 

That got Adrien to blink away the sleepiness. Anything that got the kwami's attention like that was never good. Adrien waited, holding his breath. If it was bad enough to keep Plagg from napping, then it was probably really bad. After a about a minute, Plagg turned back to Adrien with a dark scowl on his face. 

"Plagg?" Adrien asked nervously. "What was it?" 

"Your father has been spying on you," Plagg growled. "Using that sausage brat to keep tabs on you at school." 

Adrien's eyes widened. "You mean Lila's been spying on me?" 

Plagg nodded. "She told your dad about the Garage and how you've been hanging out with Marinette. She claims Marinette's been a bad influence." 

"But he's met Marinette," Adrien replied. "Marinette is the exact _opposite _of a bad influence!"__

__"I will cataclysm him into oblivion," Plagg hissed._ _

__Adrien used his finger to scratch Plagg behind the ears. "You don't need to do that for me, Plagg. My father's just worried about me. He probably doesn't realize that he picked a bad person to look out for me."_ _

__Plagg looked doubtful. The kwami did not appreciate Gabriel's parenting style, and if Adrien hadn't said anything, he certainly would have held up on that threat. Who, in their right mind, gets a student to spy on their own son?! A normal person would just _ask _said son about school! If it hadn't been for the fact that Adrien was scratching him behind the ears and making him practically melt into a pile of putty, Plagg would be beyond angry.___ _

____"So, what did my father say?" Adrien inquired._ _ _ _

____"Not much," Plagg admitted, letting out a purr. "He said it was her job to get rid of the bad influences, though he did say something weird. He told her not to deal with the mechanic. He said he was going to personally look into it."_ _ _ _

____That made Adrien nervous. It was never a good sign when his father personally wanted to look into something. It was never good if his father _interacted _with any of his friends. He barely tolerated Chloe, he despised Nino with a passion, wasn't a fan of Kitty Section in general and if Adrien had to hazard a guess, he probably wouldn't think too highly of Casey either. What if he fired Josue and Casey? Would she blame Adrien? What if he was never allowed to see Casey or hangout at the Garage ever again? Plagg was quick to notice Adrien's change in demeanor and started calming him down. The kwami would always deny it, but he could not hide the fact that he cared deeply for his holder.___ _ _ _

______The week flew by. Hawkmoth was still on silent, as was his partner. Casey wasn't even aware that Hawkmoth had a partner until Ladybug and Chat Noir mentioned Mayura when they met up for a brief patrol. Saturday morning came around and Casey was desperate to keep her nerves under control. That afternoon, she and Josue would head to the Agreste mansion and she'd do her best to act like everything was normal. That was her plan. Then Josue was late to the garage. She pulled out her phone and quickly called him._ _ _ _ _ _

______Casey started talking the moment Josue picked up. "Josue? Is everything alright? Why aren't you at the shop?"_ _ _ _ _ _

______"I'm sorry, Casey," Josue croaked. "I woke up this morning with a fever. I meant to text you, let you know that you'd be on your own-"_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Do you need me to close up and come over?" Casey asked. "I'm fine taking care of you."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Felice already offered," Josue replied. "Though I do appreciate the thought. I just want you to hold down the fort. I should be feeling better in no time. Remember to go to the Agrestes at one to take care of their check up."_ _ _ _ _ _

______Casey's eyes widened. "Josue, I don't think that's a good idea," she stated quickly. "I mean, you won't be there to check my work and I'll be alone in the garage and-"_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Casey, I trust you. You're a very gifted mechanic. You speak the language of cars better than any other person I've worked with."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"I can reschedule it. We'll go when you're up on your feet again."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Casey, we can't reschedule. I need you to do this."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Josue-"_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Is something going on? Did someone do something last time we were there to make you uncomfortable?"_ _ _ _ _ _

______"No," Casey assured him. "Nobody did anything. I just...don't want to mess up."_ _ _ _ _ _

______Casey tried to keep her voice steady. If Josue had been standing in front of her, he would have known she was lying through her teeth, sat her down with some sodas and asked why she wanted to avoid this job. But Josue wasn't there. He only heard her voice and was too tired and sick to hear the slight hesitation in her voice._ _ _ _ _ _

______"You'll be fine," Josue said with a cough. "You're more than capable. I've got to go. Felice is here and I need to rest."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Okay. Get better soon. I'll probably be over once I close up shop to check in."_ _ _ _ _ _

______Josue yawned. "Do good work. I'll see you soon, l'oie."_ _ _ _ _ _

______Casey smirked as Josue ended the call. The last time anyone in her family had called her that was probably when she was twelve, and it was probably Charles, the one who had given her the nickname. Tali caught Casey's smirk and gave her a questioning look._ _ _ _ _ _

______"What's making you nostalgic?"_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Josue called me Goose," Casey answered, heading down to the Garage. "It's been forever since anybody called me that. Makes me feel a little like a kid again, you know?"_ _ _ _ _ _

______Tali gave Casey a smile. "Didn't you give Danny a hard time for calling you that?"_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Maybe, but Danny isn't my step-dad or my uncle. I'm pretty sure they're the only two with rights to that nickname."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Josue's not your uncle," Tali pointed out._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Not yet," Casey replied. "One of these days he'll pluck up the courage to propose to Aunt Felice."_ _ _ _ _ _

______Tali rolled her eyes and followed her chosen. Casey started working and kept herself focused. As long as she stayed focused, she could ignore the uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach. Unfortunately, it didn't make entering the Agreste Mansion any easier. She clutched her tools like a life line and stared up at Mr. Agreste and his assistant. Mr. Agreste had an unreadable expression on his face and was staring at Casey intently._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Where is Josue?" Nathalie inquired._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Out sick," Casey answered. "I assure you, I am capable of handling the responsibilities for today. It might take a little longer than last time."_ _ _ _ _ _

______The two were silent and Nathalie led Casey to the garage. Casey let out a sigh when she was left alone to do her job. She could handle cars. As long as she didn't have to do anything other than collect a check from Mr. Agreste, she would be fine. She popped the hood of the first car and busied herself. Once she had checked under the hood, she pulled a head lamp from her tool box and made her way under the car. One of the benefits to being naturally scrawny was that Casey could work under most cars without needing to jack them up. She found that the undercarriage was in need of some cleaning, which meant she'd eventually have to put them on axle stands. As she worked, she heard footsteps on the concrete floor. She glanced to the end of the car and saw a pair of feet standing expectantly._ _ _ _ _ _

______"I'll be out in a minute, Kid," Casey said. "You wouldn't believe the kind of stuff you can find under a car. This thing really needs a cleaning."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"I believe you have mistaken me for my son."_ _ _ _ _ _

______Casey flinched, not expecting Gabriel Agreste to come in while she was working. She knocked her lamp on the car and it pressed into her head. She let out a small groan of pain. That was going to leave a nice little red mark on her forehead._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Sorry, Mr. Agreste," Casey replied, trying to keep her tone indifferent. "Is there something I can do for you?"_ _ _ _ _ _

______"I merely wished to check your progress."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"A little slow," Casey admitted. "I'll probably have to clean the undercarriages of all the cars if this one is any indication. Is there something you wanted me to specifically look at?"_ _ _ _ _ _

______Mr. Agreste remained silent. Casey decided to take that as a no and kept doing her job. Tali gave her a reassuring pat from the inside pocket of her hoodie. Tali was probably the reason Casey wasn't out right panicking. She was not prepared for being alone in a room with this man._ _ _ _ _ _

______Gabriel was unaware of Casey's discomfort. The only thing he could see were her legs sticking out from under the car. He couldn't really tell if she'd bought his excuse. He just wanted to see what he could learn about her and hope it would deny the suspicions he had. When she assumed that he had been Adrien, he was a little taken aback._ _ _ _ _ _

______"I learned that my son has a habit of visiting your workplace," Gabriel stated._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Yeah, sometimes," Casey replied. "He's a good kid. Knows good people."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Are you included in that group?"_ _ _ _ _ _

______Casey didn't answer for a moment. "That's really his judgement to make, not mine."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Where do you come from, Ms. Barbereau?"_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Born in France, grew up in England," Casey replied._ _ _ _ _ _

______Casey came out from under the car and went to the next one. She opened the hood and Gabriel made note of how similar her eyes were to his._ _ _ _ _ _

______"What about your family?" he asked._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Why are you interested?" Casey replied._ _ _ _ _ _

______"I am trying to make my own judgments," Gabriel answered._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Grew up with my mom, step-father and little sister," she stated._ _ _ _ _ _

______"What about your father?"_ _ _ _ _ _

______Gabriel studied Casey's reaction carefully. Her hands stopped moving and her eyes were fixed on the engine. She was carefully considering what to say._ _ _ _ _ _

______"He's not in the picture."_ _ _ _ _ _

______Casey went over to her tool box and grabbed a plastic water bottle that was laying next to it. She drank the last bit of water in the bottle._ _ _ _ _ _

______"I can dispose of that," Gabriel offered._ _ _ _ _ _

______Casey gave him a confused look before handing him the bottle with a nod. "I don't mean to be rude, Mr. Agreste, but I really need to get back to work."_ _ _ _ _ _

______Gabriel took that as his cue to leave. He made his way to his office. Nathalie was waiting for him and was confused as to why he had an empty water bottle._ _ _ _ _ _

______Gabriel handed her the bottle. "I want you to find someone to do a paternity test. I need to know for certain."_ _ _ _ _ _

______Casey finished up her work with no other interruptions. She wouldn't have been opposed to Adrien popping in, but he probably was kept away when his father came in to talk to her. That little exchange unnerved her. She wasn't quite sure she bought his reason for suddenly asking about her history. Sure, he was an overprotective parent who wanted to make sure his son was making good choices and wanted to know what she was like. But he could have accomplished all of that with a simple background check or simply looking up any of her social media profiles. Casey had a feeling that was more his style than personally asking people questions. She collected the payment and made her way back to the Garage, trying to push the strange encounter out of her head. She needed her head on straight. She had a training session with Ladybug and Chat Noir that evening and needed to visit Josue. All family drama could be put in a box for later._ _ _ _ _ _


	16. Training

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Esprit trains Ladybug and Chat some more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is coming a little earlier than what I had planned, but I have no patience. Anyways, a little bit of interaction between the kwamis. Personally, my favorite kwami has to be Plagg. Enjoy the chapter!

Chat and Ladybug arrived at their training spot to find Esprit waiting. She had a large ski bag at her feet. The smile on her face made Chat feel like today was going to be one of those days where he gets worked until he's sore. 

"What's in the bag?" Ladybug asked. 

Esprit unzipped it, revealing various staffs, escrima sticks and even a yo-yo, though Chat doubted that yo-yo had the same durability as Ladybug's. 

"We're going to be pushing your physical limits," Esprit stated. "The stronger you are without the suit, the more the kwamis can enhance." 

"So we're dropping our transformations?" Chat asked. 

Esprit nodded. "Did you both remember your masks?" 

Chat and Ladybug nodded. Esprit was the first to drop her transformation. She was wearing black sweatpants and a brown hoodie. A black domino mask covered her face. He noticed her look at her hair in slight annoyance. A small, bird-like kwami was floating next to her. 

"This is Tali," Esprit stated. "She's been particularly excited to see your kwami again, Kit-Cat." 

Chat and Ladybug followed Esprit's example and dropped their own transformations. Ladybug had her own red and black mask, a red jacket and black leggings. Chat wore an all black outfit similar to Esprit's. He had managed to find cat ears to sew on top of his hoodie, though he suspected Marinette could have done it better. They drooped a little and were a little loose. He had put a few green lines on his mask and there were a few green accents on his sweat pants. Plagg moaned just a little before spotting Ladybug's kwami. 

"Sugarcube!" He said excitedly. 

"I've told you not to call me that, smelly cheese," she replied. 

"Plagg," Tali interjected. "Don't be rude. Introduce yourself to everyone." 

"Nice to see you too, Feathers," Plagg mumbled. "And for your information, Ladybug has already met me." 

Tali turned to Ladybug and Chat Noir. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you. I hope Esprit can pass on what she has learned." 

"If she's anything like your last chosens, I'm sure she'll do fine," Tikki replied. 

"Well, she does have a stubborn streak," Tali stated. "And she can have a temper sometimes." 

"You've got a pretty nasty stubborn streak, too," Esprit interjected. "Not that we need to be discussing that in front of an audience." 

Tali perched on Esprit's shoulder. "I'm just teasing. You're a wonderful chosen." 

"Can you see what I've had to put up with for sixteen years?" Esprit asked, mock whispering to Chat and LB. 

Chat let out a small chuckle. It was nice to see that Plagg wasn't the only kwami that had a tendency to tease. Esprit passed them some weapons. He and Ladybug were both given staffs, while she picked up the escrima sticks. The three kwamis made themselves comfortable on top of the bag and watched as Esprit began her lesson.

Esprit worked them hard. Chat should have expected that much. She made him and Ladybug spar at least a dozen times. Each time she would tell them what to improve on. 

"Chat, there's a time and a place for banter," Esprit called. "When you can do this without breaking a sweat, _then _you can banter. Right now, running your mouth takes away your focus."__

__Chat and Ladybug were sparring again and Chat had made a pun, followed by a pick-up line. Ladybug had rolled her eyes, as per usual, but Esprit was strict when it came to how he looked at combat, even if it was just training. Chat made a swipe at Ladybug's right leg. She dodged it and they locked their staffs._ _

__"Break," Esprit ordered._ _

__The two broke away from each other. Esprit had an impressed smile on her face._ _

__"You're doing good," she stated. "Ladybug, you're a little lazy with guarding your dominant side. Yes, it's strong, but it's not invulnerable. Eventually, your opponent will take advantage of that."_ _

__"Are you speaking from experience?" Ladybug inquired._ _

__"My mother would do that in training," Esprit admitted. "I got real good at getting knocked down before she got the idea through my head. Why don't we take a water break?"_ _

__The kwamis went digging through Esprit's bag and brought them some water bottles. Esprit scratched Tali under the chin and Tikki sat on top of Ladybug's head. Plagg made himself comfortable on Chat's shoulder. The six stayed in momentary silence, before Ladybug broke it._ _

__"So, you mentioned that you've been with Tali for sixteen years," Ladybug recalled. "Have you been training for that long?"_ _

__Esprit nodded. "Tali started my training pretty early."_ _

__"So...do you know anything about saturation?" Ladybug asked._ _

__Esprit let out a little chuckle. "Watch this."_ _

__Esprit held her water bottle out. She took some deep breaths and looked like she was focusing. After a minute, a light breeze blew by and a pitch hummed from the water bottle. Ladybug and Chat stared at Esprit with their mouths hanging open. Esprit took another sip from her water bottle, then laughed at their expressions._ _

__"How did you-?" Chat stuttered. "You're not transformed!"_ _

__"Saturation," Esprit replied. "You asked Tikki about it, didn't you, Buggy?"_ _

__Ladybug nodded. "She said it was pretty common for Tali's chosens."_ _

__"It is," Tali piped. "They often start training very early in their life and by the time they hit eighteen or nineteen, they start showing the signs."_ _

__"What is saturation?" Chat asked._ _

__"It's when the magic of a miraculous starts to stick to the holder, becoming present in their everyday life," Esprit explained._ _

__"So...why don't you use that magic?" Chat asked. "It seems like it would be helpful in battle."_ _

__"Bad idea," Tali interjected. "When it shows itself naturally or it's used in small spurts, that's fine, but you can't use that magic like that."_ _

__"Why?" Esprit inquired. "You've never told me what could happen."_ _

__"It could kill you, or you could be absorbed into the miraculous," Tali warned._ _

__"I can see why you were adamant that I keep it under control," Esprit replied, clearly uncomfortable with that revelation. "And it's probably a good thing you two won't have to deal with it until you're about thirty."_ _

__"How do you know?" Chat asked. "For all you know, we've had these for forever."_ _

__"No you haven't," Esprit said, a smirk forming. "I'm not blind Kit-Cat, and I did my research before showing up. You two were completely new to this when you went public."_ _

__"Any ideas about Hawkmoth?" Ladybug piped._ _

__Esprit shook her head. "I know he's had his miraculous a long time, but he hasn't been using it. No signs of saturation from what I've heard."_ _

__"What _are _the symptoms?"_ _ __

__

__"It's a bit different for every miraculous. Like with mine, heightened emotional awareness, jittery when contained, plus the whole summoning a gust of wind. Hawkmoth's would probably be heightened empathy, letting out bits of whatever makes akumas. I've looked over what little video footage there is of him. Trust me, he's not saturated."_ _

__

__"You really did do your research," Chat commented._ _

__

__"Tali would've killed me if I went flying in blind," Esprit remarked._ _

__

__"And if not me, your family," Tali added._ _

__

__"I don't even want to imagine how angry my mother would have gotten, or my aunt, for that matter."_ _

__

__"So, Tali's chosens are still mother-hens," Plagg stated._ _

__

__"Hey, I'm no mother-hen!" Esprit protested._ _

__

__"And you're one to talk, Plagg. Need I remind you about what happened when we were in Rome?" Tali replied. "Or Ancient China? Or Medieval Europe? Or-?"_ _

__

__"Okay, okay!" Plagg interjected. "No need to go digging up old memories."_ _

__

__"Just saying," Tali said innocently. "If you think you can get away with calling my holders mother-hens when you're no better..."_ _

__

__"I think he gets the idea," Tikki stated._ _

__

__Esprit tossed her water bottle back into her bag. "Breaks over. Let's see how the two of you fare against me."_ _

__

__"Two on one?" Chat asked._ _

__

__"No. One on one. Who wants to volunteer to go first?"_ _

__

__Ladybug volunteered to go first. Chat had to be impressed with her skill. Esprit's years of training showed. They went at it for ten minutes before Esprit called it off. She gave LB a few pointers, then it was his turn. Chat would like to think that he did well. He managed to get a few hits in, though, admittedly, she might have gotten a few more. Esprit seemed a lot like Ladybug, in the sense that she was very calculating with her battles. He could see gears constantly turning in her head. After ten minutes, Esprit ended the sparring match._ _

__

__"Good job, Kit-Cat," she said, taking back his staff and getting her bag put together. "Don't get too heavy on your feet. Your fast. That's an advantage you don't want to give up. And constantly keep your eyes on your surroundings."_ _

__

__"How long have we been out here?" Chat asked, taking a swig of water._ _

__

__Esprit glanced at her watch. "It's eleven thirty now, so about two and a half hours. Feeling tired?"_ _

__

__"Me? Tired? Never," Chat panted._ _

__

__Plagg floated in front of him and stared him in the eyes for a moment before turning back to Esprit. "He's definitely tired. Your chosen knows how to train them, Feathers."_ _

__

__Tali beamed with pride. "And don't you forget that, Fuzz Ball. Make sure to eat plenty of cheese when you get home."_ _

__

__"Please don't give him a reason to eat more cheese," Chat piped. "He's a glutton already. He doesn't need anymore encouragement."_ _

__

__"You two probably should get home," Esprit said, patting them on the backs. "I'm not keeping you out here until midnight. Teenagers need their sleep."_ _

__

__"Goodnight, Esprit. Goodnight, Chat," Ladybug replied._ _

__

__"Bye Plagg. Bye Tali," Tikki pipped._ _

__

__"Until next time, Sugarcube," Plagg replied._ _

__

__Ladybug said her transformation phrase and took off. Tali and Plagg said a quick goodbye, then Chat and Esprit transformed._ _

__

__"Get home safe, Kit-Cat," Esprit said, shouldering her bag. "I'll see next time there's an akuma."_ _

__

__Chat shrugged. "Or not. Hawkmoth's been really quiet."_ _

__

__"Don't remind me."_ _

__

__"Nervous?"_ _

__

__"When someone like Hawkmoth goes quiet, it usually means that something's up."_ _

__

__Chat gave a shrug. "Maybe he's taking a vacation."_ _

__

__"I doubt it," Esprit replied._ _

__

__"Can I ask you a question?"_ _

__

__Esprit paused for a moment to consider. "Sure, Chat."_ _

__

__"Why did you decide to get involved?" he asked. "You could've stayed under the radar. He probably wouldn't have even known about your miraculous."_ _

__

__"It's complicated," Esprit replied._ _

__

__"That's what you said last time we asked," Chat recalled._ _

__

__"That's because it is. I still don't fully understand it all," Esprit admitted. "A mistake was made. Hawkmoth learned who had previously held the miraculous."_ _

__

__"Your mother?"_ _

__

__Esprit nodded. "That's why she drilled it into my head to be extremely careful with who I tell about my miraculous. Hawkmoth scared my mother into retirement and into running away from her life. I'm going to make sure he pays for that."_ _

__

__"So it's about revenge?"_ _

__

__"Well, if we happen to meet him I might take pleasure in punching him in the face," Esprit admitted. "That would be revenge. He needs to face justice for what he did, to her and to Paris. It's late. You need to get home."_ _

__

___Chat didn't protest. He and Esprit took off in opposite directions. He all but collapsed on his bed when he got home and detransformed. Adrien couldn't help but think about what Esprit had said. He knew Hawkmoth was bad. He knew that Hawkmoth wanted the miraculous more than anything, but he couldn't imagine someone ruining another person's life, making someone run away, just for the sake of power. He had to wonder if Esprit would let him help her punch Hawkmoth in the face.___


	17. Complications

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette has an issue at school. Gabriel starts to get a little too involved in things. Adrien starts to think about the pro's of teen rebellion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the support on the fic! I'm really happy with the reception it's been getting. I also want to tell you that the fic will probably end up between 20-30 chapters, so we're in the last leg, and then I'll let you know about the sequel that's planned. Thanks again! As always, let me know what you think!

Monday was not what either of the three heroes thought it would be. It started out normal. Marinette made it to school just before the first bell and took her seat in the back. Adrien spent time talking with Nino before class, then worked on keeping Lila from touching him. Casey woke up at the sound of her alarm and got ready for her day in the Garage. Unfortunately, the day started going wrong as soon as the bell rang and Ms. Bustier entered the classroom. 

"Marinette, may I talk to you in the hall?" Ms. Bustier asked after taking roll call. 

Marinette followed her teacher into the hall, not bothering to hide the confused expression on her face. Had she forgotten to do something as class rep? Had she missed an assignment? Was there a problem with her school work? 

"Marinette, I've received some troubling reports regarding your behavior," Ms. Bustier stated. 

"What? But I haven't done anything," Marinette replied. 

"Well, some of the reports claim you've been bullying a fellow classmate. Now, I was shocked to hear of this and I know you can be better than that." 

"I haven't been bullying anyone," Marinette said firmly. "The only people in class that I've been talking to are Adrien, Alya and Nino." 

"That's not what I've been told," Ms. Bustier replied. 

"Well someone is lying." 

"That's a heavy accusation to make, Marinette." 

"Heavier than accusing me of bullying someone?!" 

"I would like you to go and talk to Mr. Damocles," Ms. Bustier said calmly. "You can sort everything out with him and we'll figure out how to proceed with this." 

Marinette took a deep breath. Despite wanting to argue and defend herself from slander, she reluctantly agreed and began making her way to the principal's office. She had a pretty good idea of who was trying to get her into trouble. Unfortunately, knowing and proving were two different things. Mr. Damocles was waiting for her when she entered his office. 

"I'm assuming you know why you're here, Ms. Dupain-Cheng," he said cordially. 

"Yes," Marinette replied. "And I would like to say that these reports are not true." 

"Do you know who filed the reports?" Mr. Damocles asked. 

"I have a guess at who the supposed victim is." 

"And how do you have a guess?" 

"Because we haven't gotten along since she got to school," Marinette replied. "Is the 'victim' in the reports Lila Rossi?" 

Mr. Damocles nodded. "So you admit to not getting along with Ms. Rossi?" 

"Yes," Marinette sighed. "But I don't talk to her. I tend to avoid being around her. My friends can vouch for that." 

"Perhaps, until this matter is resolved, it would be best to move you into a different homeroom class," Mr. Damocles suggested. 

"What?! But I haven't done anything!" Marinette protested. 

Mr. Damocles put his arms up in a defensive manner. "Just until the matter is resolved and we look into the validity of these claims. Once everything is sorted out, you'll be allowed back into Ms. Bustier's class." 

"But I'm the class representative. I can't do my job if I'm not in the class." 

"We'll have Alya take over your duties. Until this conflict is resolved, it would be best to keep you and Ms. Rossi separated." 

Marinette let out a frustrated sigh. Mr. Damocles wouldn't budge. His mind was made up, and, unlike Chloe, Marinette was above making petty threats to get her way. Alya, Nino and Adrien would probably keep her in the loop and figure out what to do about the reports. She took her modified schedule from Mr. Damocles, which she was starting tomorrow. Why did she have a feeling this was only the beginning? 

Casey's day was going about as well as Marinette's. Josue had caught the flu and wouldn't be able to come in for a few days. While it was nice to talk with Tali in the Garage, she missed having Josue to joke around with. The Garage didn't feel quite as warm without him around. She focused on the cars and not the absence of Josue. She was working on replacing a car battery when she heard a car pull up outside. Tali slipped into a nearby toolbox and Casey straightened up. It was one of Gabriel's cars and he was walking straight towards her. Casey swallowed the lump in her throat. 

"Is everything alright, Mr. Agreste?" she asked. "Something wrong with your car?" 

"Is your boss around?" He asked, ignoring her own questions. 

Casey shook her head. "Just me. He caught the flu. It'll take him a few days to shake." 

Casey grabbed her rag and started wiping off her hands, anything to give her hands something to do. The way Gabriel looked at her was unnerving. His eyes were boring into her as if she committed some horrible offense in his eyes. That's when Casey noticed the large envelope in his hands. 

"I have a feeling this isn't about a car," Casey said with a grimace. 

Gabriel handed her the envelope. "I decided to discuss this matter with you. Privately." 

Casey pulled out the papers. She wasn't surprised to find that it was a paternity test. She tried to keep her expression neutral, though she wasn't sure if she was succeeding. 

"You know, private paternity tests are illegal," Casey stated. "At least, in France. You could get in serious trouble for this." 

"You don't seem all that surprised at what it shows," Gabriel remarked. "I can only assume that means you already knew." 

"Not always," Casey admitted. "I've known for about a week." 

"And what about Adrien?" 

"Haven't said a thing about it," she answered. 

"And it will stay that way," Gabriel stated. "I know Adrien often comes here with some of his _friends _."__

__"Someone disapproves," Casey commented. "Scared your son is learning about being a normal teen?"_ _

__Gabriel gave her a stern glare, which Casey gladly shot back. It startled her when she noticed that some of Gabriel's expression looked a lot like some of her's, from the crease in their foreheads to the way their mouths formed sharp frowns. She didn't like seeing these similarities. It just pointed more to the undeniable fact of who she was._ _

__"I want you to tell Adrien that he and his friends are no longer welcome here," Gabriel said matter-of-fact._ _

__"That's not happening," Casey replied. "I'm not gonna be your pawn in whatever family politics that is. You want him to stop coming? Tell him yourself. I'm not playing the bad guy for you."_ _

__"You will," Gabriel insisted._ _

__"Or you'll do what? You can't threaten me with this," Casey said, shaking the envelope in her hand. "You'd have to admit to an illegal paternity test without my consent and you'd ruin your pristine reputation. Last I checked, the fashion world frowns upon risque behaviors, whether past or present. You can't hurt me without doing more damage to yourself."_ _

__Casey noticed Gabriel's gaze flicker to something else. Her eyes widened when she realized he was looking at the jewelry around her neck. She remembered what her mother had said._ _

__**"I made a mistake. I shouldn't have told him about the miraculous."** __

______She cleared her throat to get his attention focused on her and not her choker. "As much fun as it is, seeing who can hold their glare the longest, I have a lot of work to do. I suggest you leave."_ _ _ _ _ _

____She held out the envelope. With any luck, she'd made her meaning clear. She didn't want to be known as his daughter, one way or the other._ _ _ _

____"I've already made copies," Gabriel stated, walking away. "We will have to come to an arrangement, one way or another."_ _ _ _

____"How about you just let me live my life and we forget the other exists."_ _ _ _

____Casey caught the slight smirk on Gabriel's face as he left the garage. "That's a lovely pendant. I believe your mother had one just like it."_ _ _ _

____Casey didn't move until his car was out of sight. She let out a shaky breath and steadied herself against the car she was supposed to be working on._ _ _ _

____"Tali, it's safe to come out," she said._ _ _ _

____The kwami came out of hiding and took a spot on Casey's shoulder. "Are you alright?"_ _ _ _

____Casey shook her head. "That was hard."_ _ _ _

____"Do you think he knows?" Tali asked._ _ _ _

____"He knows," Casey answered. "He wouldn't have brought up the pendant if he didn't. How did he even-? Shit!"_ _ _ _

____Casey kicked her tool box. How could she have been so stupid?! Everything about that day had been strange! Alarms had been going off in her head the moment he'd started asking her questions. She let out a small string of curses. Wind started blowing through the Garage._ _ _ _

____Tali floated in front of her face. "Casey, talk to me."_ _ _ _

____"The water bottle," Casey hissed. "He got a DNA sample from the bottle. I'm an idiot!"_ _ _ _

____"Alright, breathe," Tali instructed. "You're angry and upset. You're releasing a lot of magic."_ _ _ _

____Casey started following Tali's instructions. She used square breathing, a technique Aria had once taught her. She counted the beats as she inhaled, held her breath, exhaled, and held her breath again. She noticed that the wind whipping through the Garage was stronger than the wind she had previously caused. It was strong enough to scatter her screwdrivers and any loose tools lying on the ground. There was slight pain in her chest, but as the wind died down, it vanished._ _ _ _

____"Now, tell me what you're thinking," Tali said calmly, once Casey's breathing was normal._ _ _ _

____"I don't know how, but he got suspicious," Casey replied. "On Saturday, he asked me a bunch of questions and took my water bottle. He must've remembered stuff about my mom or made the connection with the last name...Tali, I'm so _stupid _."___ _ _ _

______"You are not stupid," Tali stated firmly. "You are smart."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"I think he might be smarter."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"However this situation turns out, you'll figure a way out of it," Tali assured her._ _ _ _ _ _

______Casey nodded. "Okay...I need to go call my mom."_ _ _ _ _ _

______Adrien could tell there was something going on when he got home from school to find his father standing in the entry hall with Lila. He was standing on top of the stairs, towering over everyone else, as usual, and Lila was standing below him with a sly smirk on her face._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Shit," Adrien muttered._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Careful, Adrien," Lila whispered back to him. "Wouldn't want your father thinking you've been picking up crass language from your mechanic friend."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Adrien," Gabriel said, drawing their attention up to him. "I wished to discuss some of your behavior at school."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Wouldn't this discussion be best to have in private?" Adrien inquired, throwing a suspicious glance at Lila._ _ _ _ _ _

______He knew the brunette had been busy. Marinette had told him and the others all about the reports and how she had to switch classes until everything was sorted out. He would have been concerned, if not for the fact that Marinette had friends in Ms. Mendeleiev's homeroom. He wanted to know what exactly Lila had told his father about Casey. She might not have been afraid of their classmates, but his father had a way of intimidating people._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Ms. Rossi brought this behavior to my attention," Gabriel stated. "I am concerned. She informed me that you have been leaving school grounds to go to the garage where Ms. Barbereau works with your peers."_ _ _ _ _ _

______Adrien nodded. His father was getting straight to the point._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Adrien, I say this in an attempt to protect you; your peers are not suitable company to keep."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"But they haven't done anything," Adrien argued. "Marinette and Luka are some of the best people I know."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"An ill-formed opinion," Gabriel replied. "Consider your reputation. You are the image of the company. You cannot be seen interacting with such distasteful company. I am sure Tsurugi-san has told her daughter the same thing."_ _ _ _ _ _

______Adrien wanted to argue with his father. Marinette and Luka hadn't done anything to earn his father's distrust. They were good people. Given who was standing next to him, he had a pretty good idea of who told Gabriel that his friends were unsavory characters._ _ _ _ _ _

______"For your own sake, I am telling you to keep these people out of your life," Gabriel said sharply. "They will be nothing more than leeches, feeding off of your own prestige. You must think of our reputations."_ _ _ _ _ _

______Adrien didn't say anything. He made his way upstairs and to his bedroom, not looking at his father. He was a little surprised that he had let him pass with no resistance. There wasn't a threat in Gabriel's words, though Adrien knew enough to know that if Lila opened her mouth, he could threaten to pull him from school. Adrien closed his door and flopped on his bed. Plagg gave him a concerned look._ _ _ _ _ _

______"What are you going to do?" Plagg asked._ _ _ _ _ _

______"I'll just have to be sneaky about when I hang out with Marinette and Luka," Adrien answered. "They're my friends and I'm not leaving, reputations be damned."_ _ _ _ _ _

______Plagg let out a little chuckle. "Sausage Hair was right about one thing. You are definitely learning the swearing from Mechanic Girl."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"You know, I kind of like it," Adrien replied. "I just need to make sure my father never hears it."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Are you finally rebelling?" Plagg inquired, a mischievous glint in his eyes._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Maybe a little."_ _ _ _ _ _

______Adrien pulled out his homework. Just because he was deciding to rebel didn't mean he was going to let his grades slip._ _ _ _ _ _


	18. Not-So-Accidental Slip of the Tongue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien decides to put his new vocabulary to use. Marinette learns something concerning in her new homeroom class. More hangouts at the Garage. Casey and Adrien have a heart-to-heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, two chapters in one week! You can thank DragonFaerie for it. Their comment kept my brain going on the story and I couldn't stop writing. There's a possibility that a third chapter might get posted this week, but don't hold your breath. This chapter is kind of laid back, but I hope you enjoy!

Adrien found it quite satisfying to walk into school the next day, knowing that he would be doing what he wanted, and his father would be none the wiser. He and his friends had made plans to head to the Garage separately from now on. Plagg cackled as Adrien came up with ways to sneak around behind his father's back. He texted Casey about the situation and she assured him that she was more than happy to keep certain people, and by that he meant Lie-la, in the dark about who was with them. There was only one thing that curbed his excitement, and that was the fact that Marinette was not in homeroom with them. That didn't stop him, Alya and Nino from scheming about proving her innocence. 

"So...how do we prove that Marinette hasn't done anything?" Adrien asked. "Mr. Damocles won't just take us at our word." 

"It can't have just been one person filing a report," Alya reasoned. "Not if they made her switch classes." 

"Maybe we can get someone to come clean about filing a false report," Nino reasoned. 

Adrien shook his head. "Lila probably got them to think Marinette really was bullying her. They won't think it was a false report. I can't think of a way to get Lila to come clean." 

"Watch it," Alya whispered. "She's coming this way." 

Sure enough, Lila came into the classroom and sat down next to Adrien. She reached out to latch onto his arm. Adrien scooted away. It was a not-so-subtle hint, and if she didn't get it from that, the glare he gave her should have been enough. 

"What's the matter Adrien?" Lila asked sweetly. 

"I don't appreciate what you've been telling my father about my friends," Adrien replied sharply. 

"I was just telling him the truth. They're bad for your reputation. Bad enough that you were hanging out at a _garage_ -" 

"You mean the garage owned by your uncle?" Alya interjected, feigning ignorance. "I thought you went there all the time to visit him." 

Lila chuckled uneasily. "Of course I do, but for Adrien...if someone caught him on camera it could cause problems. Someone of his stature-" 

"But you're just as well-known as him, aren't you?" Nino asked. 

Adrien tried his best to hide the laughter building in his chest. Lila quickly started spewing stuff about how she was famous by association and that she had more freedom than someone like him, who was _famous_ famous. Lila noticed the smirk. Admittedly, it was more of a Chat Noir expression, but Adrien was pleased with Lila's reaction. 

She shot him a glare. "There is only one way this is ending, and it's my way. This isn't over," she hissed, taking her stuff to the back of the classroom. 

"I beg to differ, bitch," Adrien muttered. 

Alya and Nino's eyes widened. They were the only people to hear the word slip out of his mouth besides Lila. His father would believe a lot of things Lila told him, but he wouldn't believe that Adrien had learned how to swear. Not without hearing it first hand, that is. 

"Dude!" Nino whispered. "Where did you-? How did you-?" 

"Who taught you how to say that?" Alya asked in a hushed voice. "You're the sunshine boy. You're not supposed to know how to say stuff like that." 

"A friend taught me," Adrien answered. "You should meet her sometime." 

Alya and Nino quickly whispered to him that he was introducing him to this friend, today. After shooting a text to Casey, he was happy to tell them that they could meet her during their break. As the bell rang and Ms. Bustier began her lesson, the class began to realize that their class rep was missing. 

Marinette's first day in Ms. Medeleiev's homeroom was looking to be alright. Sure, she had friends in the class, but it was weird being in a class without Alya. On the plus side, no dealing with Lila in the middle of lessons. Aurore and Mireille were the first to talk to her. 

"It's nice to have you in class," Aurore said cheerfully. "We don't get to talk enough during the day." 

Marinette smiled. "It's nice to share classes with you guys. It's just a little new for me." 

"Don't worry. We'll make sure you get settled," Mireille replied. "There's an open seat next to Marc just across the aisle. Hey, Marc!" 

The writer looked up from his notebook and gave the trio a smile. "What's up?" 

"Do you mind if Marinette sits next to you?" Mireille asked. 

"Not at all," Marc answered, moving his bag to make room for Marinette. "Why the sudden class change, Marinette?" 

"There was an issue," Marinette replied. "The teachers are looking into some reports and want to make sure there isn't a conflict, so they moved me." 

"But aren't you're the class rep?" Aurore asked. 

"Alya's taking over for me until all of this gets sorted out." 

"It wasn't anything serious, was it?" Mireille piped, giving Marinette a concerned look. 

"Don't worry about it. It's nothing that can't be fixed," Marinette assured her. "Just some....conflicting stories between me and Lila." 

Aurore rolled her eyes. "I don't like that girl. Ever since she got here there's been more drama than usual. And have you seen the way she tries to latch onto Adrien?" 

"Wait, what has she been doing to Adrien?" Marinette asked, suddenly becoming very worried. 

"It happens less now that he doesn't spend so much time here during lunch," Marc answered. "But any time she can, she'll grab onto his arm and just invade his space. More so than Chloe ever has." 

"It's practically a death grip," Aurore stated. 

"It's kind of disturbing," Mireille added. "He always looks so uncomfortable." 

Marinette's brain started running through her memories of Lila's interactions with Adrien. She was vaguely aware of what they were talking about. She'd seen it enough in class. How had she never thought to ask him about it? The few times she'd been close enough to really notice, he had looked so nervous. She was going to ask them more questions when her phone beeped with text notifications. She opened them to find one from Alya and one from Adrien. 

**Adrien: Alya and Nino are coming to the Garage. Already cleared it with Casey. How's the new homeroom?**

**Marinette: It's good. Thanks for the heads up.**

She opened the text from Alya and found herself surprised by the caps lock. 

**Alya: YOU WON'T BELIEVE THIS! ADRIEN SAID A CUSS WORD! WHERE DID HE EVEN LEARN TO CURSE?! DID YOU LEARN HOW TO CURSE TOO?!?!**

Marinette found herself too flabbergasted to answer that text. Did she know how to curse? _Maybe_. Did she curse a lot? No, not really. She tried to be cordial with everyone and in instances where she might have felt obliged to curse she held back, mostly to keep from escalating any arguments. She wondered what on earth would have made Adrien curse and what curse word he decided to use. She didn't have to ask where he picked it up. That was obvious to anyone who had ever seen him and Casey in the same room when she let one slip out. Marinette let out a small chuckle. 

"What's so funny?" Marc asked. 

"Just something Alya told me," Marinette answered. "Don't worry about it." 

Before Marc could ask her about it, Ms. Meneleiev came in and started class. She made a brief announcement about Marinette joining the class, made sure everyone had their phones put away and began her lesson. 

Five minutes before the bell rang for lunch and when Marinette had received permission from her teacher, Marinette pulled out her phone to text with Adrien, Luka and Kagami. 

**Marinette: So, just to be clear. The plan is, I make it look like I'm going home for lunch, then circle around and head to the Garage, right?**

**Adrien: Yep. Everyone will be none the wiser**

**Kagami: I still don't understand why your father suddenly has a problem with our friends**

**Adrien: Blame Lila. She's been spying on me at school**

**Luka: I don't like her. Her melody is incredibly harsh. Like nails on a chalkboard**

**Marinette: It's a wonder anybody likes her. Are you two coming to the Garage today?**

**Kagami: Unfortunately, not. My mother is having me practice for an upcoming tournament**

**Luka: And I have to finish a group project. Next week should be good for me**

**Adrien: Alright. We'll tell Casey you say hi**

The bell rang and Marinette said a quick goodbye to Luka and Kagami. She decided to try Adrien's idea. 

Adrien was packing his stuff up. Alya and Nino were waiting for him by the door. Lila sauntered past him, a scowl on her face. Was she still hung up on his passing comment? If she was, he couldn't help but feel a little accomplished. It was nice to be the one causing the annoyance and not receiving it. Alya and Nino let him lead the way to the Garage. Lila didn't follow them. Perhaps he'd pushed her buttons enough to get her to leave him alone for a bit. Casey was closing up the garage for her break when they arrived. 

"Hey Kid," she said with a wave. "These the two you told me about?" 

"Yep. This is Nino, and that's Alya," Adrien replied. 

"Pleasure to meet you. I would shake your hand, but I haven't washed them yet. Marinette is already upstairs. There's some sidona in the fridge." 

"You got some more?" Adrien replied, perking up with excitement. 

Casey let out a chuckle. "My family brought some last weekend. I'll be up in just a second." 

Adrien pulled Nino and Alya up to Casey's apartment. Marinette was already sitting on a stool with her lunch and an Orangina. Alya and Nino took seats, glancing around the apartment. Adrien went to the fridge and pulled out a cidona. Casey came up after a minute and went to grab herself a soda. 

"Do either of you want something?" Casey asked, glancing at Nino and Alya. "I've got water, cidona, orangina, some rootbeer." 

"Do you have any sprite?" Nino asked. 

Casey looked around the fridge. "Normally, I don't, but it looks like my aunt left a can from the last time she came over. What about you, Alya?" 

"Just water, please." 

Casey got them their drinks and took a seat. There was a moment of silence as the four students got their lunches from their backpacks. Once everyone was settled, Alya started the conversation. 

"So, you're the one that taught Adrien how to swear?" 

Casey's eyes widened and she glanced over at Adrien. "You swore?" After getting a nod, Casey let out a chuckle. "Then I guess I'm the guilty party. I tend to let a few slip out every now and then. What did you do?" 

"He called Lila a bitch," Nino stated. 

Casey started choking on her soda. Once she stopped coughing, she gave Adrien a big smile. "Way to go, Kid! You beat me to the punch!" 

"Casey," Marinette chided. "You're the adult here." 

"Be honest, Mari, I'm the _last _person to tell someone else to watch their language," Casey replied. "As for being an adult, technically I'm also still a teenager."__

__"It felt kind of good to take a shot at Lila," Adrien admitted. "Maybe taking the high road is the most morally sound thing, but taking the low road is _really _fun."___ _

____Nino glanced over at Casey. "You've corrupted our sunshine child."_ _ _ _

____"I regret nothing," Casey stated. "Besides, there's nothing wrong with taking a few shots at somebody that deserves it."_ _ _ _

____Talking about Lila got Marinette to remember her earlier conversation with Aurore, Mireille, and Marc. She glanced over at Adrien and decided that this was the safest place to ask about it; in front of the people they trusted without anyone else listening in._ _ _ _

____"Hey, Adrien," Marinette said. "Speaking of Lila, has she been making you uncomfortable? I mean, I heard from some of my classmates that they noticed that she tries to latch onto you and they seemed kind of concerned."_ _ _ _

____"Lila has a massive crush," Alya replied. "That's what girls do."_ _ _ _

____"Hang on, what do you mean, she latches onto him?" Casey interjected. "Adrien, is she making you feel unsafe?"_ _ _ _

____Adrien rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, it makes me really uncomfortable. She'll grab my arm and then start trying to cuddle up to me and gives me these weird looks. It hasn't been happening as much now because I tend to get away before she can do it. She gets really touchy whenever I have to do a photo shoot with her."_ _ _ _

____"It's just a crush," Alya restated. "I mean, she's a liar and all, but that's normal."_ _ _ _

____"No, it's not," Casey replied. "That's invasive and possessive. Borderline sexual harassment."_ _ _ _

____"Wait, that's a big kind of thing to throw around," Nino said quickly. "Don't you think that's a bit of an overreaction?"_ _ _ _

____"Let's just forget it," Adrien piped, trying to keep the discussion from escalating._ _ _ _

____Casey gave him a quick glance. She looked genuinely concerned and he appreciated that she cared about making sure he was okay. He silently pleaded with her to not argue with Alya and Nino. He didn't want their first meeting to turn into an argument._ _ _ _

____"Alright, we'll drop it," Casey relented._ _ _ _

____"Thank you," Adrien replied._ _ _ _

____Casey let out a sigh. "So, what is it you two do for fun? Mari's a designer, Adrien's a fencer. What do you do?"_ _ _ _

____"I run the Ladyblog," Alya answered. "You want the latest scoop on the heroes or an akuma attack? I'm the one to call."_ _ _ _

____"I've heard of that. It's got some good reviews. You want to be a journalist?"_ _ _ _

____Alya nodded. "I hope to become one of the greatest investigative journalists ever."_ _ _ _

____"A real Lois Lane," Casey chuckled. "What about you, Nino?"_ _ _ _

____Nino shrugged. "I'm a DJ. Looking to make it big in music."_ _ _ _

____"Ambitious."_ _ _ _

____"He makes some really good music," Marinette piped. "You won't believe some of the remixes he's made, and his original music is fantastic!"_ _ _ _

____"I think you're over selling it, dudette," Nino said, pulling his cap over his face._ _ _ _

____"Nah, Mari's got an eye for talent," Casey replied. "I look forward to hearing your music someday."_ _ _ _

____The conversation drifted from then on between everyone's interests, to who their favorite of the hero duo was. The room was split two to two, with Marinette and Nino picking Chat Noir while Adrien and Alya picked Ladybug. Casey refused to comment._ _ _ _

____"Come on! Everyone has a favorite!" Alya said, trying to coax an answer out of the mechanic. "You can't be a true Parisian without having a favorite."_ _ _ _

____"You're forgetting, I'm not a Parisian," Casey pointed out. "I'm from Portsmouth."_ _ _ _

____"I'll bet it's Ladybug," Alya stated. "You are a total Ladybug fan."_ _ _ _

____"I respect and appreciate the work both heroes do for Paris. They are both equally noble and admirable."_ _ _ _

____"But you like Chat Noir the best, right?" Nino asked, nudging her with his elbow._ _ _ _

____"No comment," Casey reiterated. "You two aren't gonna make me pick."_ _ _ _

____"Ladybug of Chat Noir?" Alya asked again._ _ _ _

____"Rena Rouge," Casey deadpanned._ _ _ _

____"That's not an answer!" Alya argued._ _ _ _

____"Then Carapace. Or Queen Bee, or Esprit. I can do this _all_ day, Alya." _ _ _ _

____Marinette glanced at her phone. "We don't have that long. Twenty minutes until class starts. And I don't want to be late. Ms. Medeleiev is less tolerant of tardiness than Ms. Bustier."_ _ _ _

____Alya sighed dramatically. "Fine. We can start heading back. But this isn't over, Casey. You're going to tell me who your favorite is."_ _ _ _

____"Keep dreaming," Casey teased. "My lips are sealed."_ _ _ _

____As they got ready to leave, Nino noticed Adrien not following them. "Dude, you coming?"_ _ _ _

____"I'll follow in a little bit," Adrien replied._ _ _ _

____Alya and Nino were a little confused, though Marinette ushered them out, promising to explain things later. Adrien didn't appreciate having to split from his friends. Casey got up and started cleaning off the counters. Adrien got up to help, throwing out the empty soda bottles._ _ _ _

____"So...how bad is it with that girl?" Casey asked._ _ _ _

____Adrien sighed. He should've expected that she would ask._ _ _ _

____"It's not horrible. I mean, it's uncomfortable and she doesn't let go unless I physically pry her off of me, but...it could be worse, right?"_ _ _ _

____"Adrien, don't downplay this," Casey advised. "You can't look at something like that and say it could be worse, because then worse happens and you can't do anything about it."_ _ _ _

____"It's just her being touchy," Adrien reasoned. "It's not that bad, is it?"_ _ _ _

____"It's bad that she does it without your permission and refuses to let go until you _physically_ pull her off of you. Right now it's just holding onto your arm, but what happens when she decides to push the envelope a little bit more? You can't expect her to respect your boundaries then if she doesn't respect them now, and that girl clearly doesn't respect _anybody_." _ _ _ _

____"I just don't want to make a commotion," Adrien admitted. "She might stop on her own. She doesn't get much of a chance to do it these days anyways."_ _ _ _

____"There's a difference between choosing and not having a chance. It's the same as the lying, only with this, the consequences get very real very fast. I just want you to be careful."_ _ _ _

____Adrien smiled and gave Casey a hug. "Thanks. I'm glad that you're my friend."_ _ _ _

____"Same here, Kid," Casey replied, messing up his hair. "You should probably get back to school."_ _ _ _

____"Can you walk with me? It's a little lonely without someone else around."_ _ _ _

____"Sure. I've still got some time before I need to reopen the garage."_ _ _ _

____The walk back to school was nice. Casey let Adrien ramble on about all the things he was doing. He realized that he never got a chance to ramble much. His friends listened, but he tried to keep himself from rambling around them. Casey was content to hear him talk and make a few jokes and tease him a little. When they got back to the school, she gave him a side hug and said a quick goodbye before turning to head back towards the Garage. Adrien wondered if that was what it was like to have an older sibling._ _ _ _


	19. Confrontation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Esprit, Chat and Ladybug are annoyed. Hawkmoth and Mayura make a plan. Casey has a realization. ANGST.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise, surprise, I can actually write a chapter in a day.

The week was a nightmare. Akumas were popping up with at least two attacks every day. It was a drastic change from the silence Hawkmoth had given the heroes. It irked Esprit, tired out Chat and frustrated Ladybug. The latest in the string of akumas was a young boy who got angry with his parents for not letting him have a dog. Canine was his name and he turned his victims into an army of dogs at his command. It took two rounds of Spirit Wind and Cataclysm and Ladybug's Lucky Charm to get their hands on his akumatized object, which was the dog collar around Canine's neck. After returning the boy to his parents, the the trio gathered on the roof of Notre Dame. 

"If Hawkmoth doesn't lay off, I'm gonna purposefully use my power to cause another psychic collision," Esprit panted. 

"I'm not sure that's a good idea," Chat replied. "It's not so good for your health." 

"You wanna know what else isn't good for my health? Missing valuable work time because of another damn akuma," she stated. Esprit glared at the sky. "Hey, Bug Brain! Some of us have bills to pay! Not all of us can be free loading psychopaths!" 

"I don't think Hawkmoth can hear you," Ladybug deadpanned. 

"I don't care, Buggy," Esprit replied. "It's called common courtesy. Even super-villains should be considerate of their enemy's availability. How much school have you guys missed because of these attacks?" 

Chat did some brief mental math. "Hard to say. At least we haven't dealt with any sentimonsters." 

"What's a sentimonster?" Esprit asked.

"It's what the Peacock Miraculous creates," Ladybug explained. "Hawkmoth's partner, Mayura, creates them. She doesn't show up a lot. She makes them out of these feathers called amoks." 

"Sounds absolutely fantastic," Esprit said with an eyeroll. 

Chat and Ladybug's miraculous beeped. Esprit waved her hand, shooing them on their way. 

"We're still training tonight, right?" Chat asked. 

Esprit nodded. "Same time and place." 

"See you then," Ladybug replied, swinging away. 

"Bye, Esprit," Chat said, jumping across the rooftops. 

Gabriel was pacing in his lair. Nathalie stood close by with Duusu, looking over things on her tablet that might help with making a plan. He had expected the large string of akumas to tire Ladybug and Chat Noir. He was becoming less and less concerned with Casey as time went on. Information was a powerful weapon, and he was amassing as much information about her as he could. Casey only posed a true problem if she had as much information as he did. He shook the thoughts of Casey out of his head and focused on Ladybug and Chat Noir.

"Is there anything we can use for an attack?" Gabriel asked, halting his pacing. 

"It is possible that we can set up an ambush," Nathalie answered. "They've been sighted on the Arc de Triomphe for the past two Saturdays. It's possible they will meet there again." 

"When do they normally meet?" 

"According to reports, around nine'o'clock." 

Gabriel nodded. "Let's see what we can come up with." 

The rest of the day was quiet. There was a slight uneasiness in the city. Everyone was waiting for the next akuma attack. No one went anywhere alone, both to keep others from getting akumatized and to avoid being isolated should another attack occur. Marinette hated seeing her city so restless. Sure, they'd gotten used to the attacks, but this many in a week gave the impression that Hawkmoth was preparing for something big. It was more unnerving than the silence he'd given them. She watched the streets from her balcony, wound up like a spring. 

"Maybe you should take a break, Marinette," Tikki advised. "You've been up here since you got home." 

"I know, Tikki," Marinette replied. "But I can't shake this feeling that something is about to happen. I can feel it in my gut. Hawkmoth is up to something." 

"Worrying yourself won't help anybody. The most you can do is be ready when something does happen." 

Marinette let out a sigh. "I know. But look at everyone, Tikki. They're so anxious. Everyone in Paris can feel it. Things haven't been this tense since the Heroes Day fiasco." 

"It'll be alright," Tikki assured her. "You and Chat Noir are getting stronger. If Hawkmoth does make an appearance, you'll be ready." 

Marinette gave her kwami an uneasy smile. Tikki was right. She could feel the difference in her body. Even after battling Canine, she had managed to push her transformation about twenty extra seconds after using Lucky Charm. Tikki had told that it was tremendous progress. She felt stronger too. Every now and then she would hear a small whisper of advice from Tikki just before going into battle. Marinette wondered if Chat was experiencing the same kind of progress. 

"Tikki, do you think I'll get a handle on this by the time I'm as old as Esprit?" Marinette asked. 

"I think you'll be incredibly strong," Tikki answered. "She probably thinks that too." 

"Marinette!" Sabine called. "Marinette, could you come down and help your father and I? We just got a delivery of ingredients." 

"I'll be down in a second!" Marinette called back. 

Tikki flew into Marinette's jacket pocket as she made her way down to the bakery. Helping to put away all of the ingredients helped get Marinette's mind off of things. It was also a good way to the pass the time, as her parents convinced her to stick around and help out in the bakery. By the time she went back upstairs, it was time for dinner, and after dinner it was time to go meet Esprit and Chat. She put on her mask, leggings and jacket before transforming. She showed up at the Arc de Triomphe where Chat and Esprit were waiting. 

"Hey there, Buggy," Esprit said with a smirk. 

"So, what's on the agenda?" Ladybug asked. 

"First, I want to check in," Esprit answered. "Has there been any progress?" 

"I definitely feel stronger," Chat replied. "Plagg doesn't complain as much when I detransform, or eat as much cheese." 

"And I've heard Tikki a few times, right before going into battle," Ladybug added. "It's just a whisper, but it's something. And my transformation held a few seconds long than normal." 

"That's great," Esprit replied. "That means we're making progress." 

"We'll be an unstoppable, crime fighting machine!" Chat joked, striking various comic book poses. 

Esprit let out a laugh. "I'm not sure about unstoppable, but definitely a force to be reckoned with." 

"So, what are you going to teach us today?" Ladybug asked. 

"Just some one-on-one sparring to see some of the progress," Esprit replied. "With transformations." 

"Do you mind if I go first?" Chat asked. 

"Be my guest, Chat," Ladybug replied. "My money's on Esprit." 

Chat placed his hand against his forehead melodramatically. "You wound me, M'Lady. Do you really have such little faith in me?" 

"My faith is in the experience." 

Esprit twirled her sticks and took a spot across from Chat. "Ready, Kit-cat?" 

"Always," Chat replied, pulling out his staff. 

There was a beat of silence. "Go!" Esprit called. 

Chat and Esprit clashed fiercely and with incredible speed. Ladybug did her best to keep up. The sound of the staff and the sticks clashing rang out around them. Chat didn't say anything, keeping his focus on how Esprit was moving. They went at if for a few minutes before Esprit got the upper hand and swept Chat off of his feet with a swift kick. 

"Nice job, Kit-Cat," Esprit said, holding out a hand to him. "You kept up that pace really well." 

Chat let her pull him up. "You think so?" 

"Definitely. Good focus too. Any comments, Buggy?" 

"It was hard to track," Ladybug admitted. "You guys were going really fast." 

Esprit clapped Chat on the back. "Go get some water and catch your breath. Once I get mine, you and me are going at it, Buggy." 

The trio sat down at the edge of the monument and let their feet dangle. Thankfully, the night air was just the right temperature. A breeze blew by and cooled down Chat and Esprit. Ladybug smiled. It was nice to just take a moment to sit with her partners. 

"What do you think people think when they see us up here?" Chat asked. 

Esprit shrugged. "Probably something along the lines of 'Hey, it's the heroes. Are they play-fighting?" or 'Holy crap! Is there an akuma?!'" 

Ladybug chuckled. "I think it's the former." 

"Yeah, probably." 

"Is it weird for you guys? Meeting like this without an akuma to fight?" Chat asked. 

"Just a little," Ladybug answered. "But in a good way." 

"It's kind of normal for me," Esprit replied. "If anything, transforming to fight an akuma is weird for me." 

"You got the hang of it," Ladybug said. "You're a part of the team now." 

"Yeah, now you're our butt-kicking, Feather Head," Chat added. 

"Feather Head?" Esprit laughed. "Did Plagg suggest that one?" 

"In my defense, I couldn't think up a good nickname. Not much goes with Esprit." 

"Whatever you say, Kit-Cat," Esprit said, ruffling Chat's hair. "Ready for our match, Buggy?" 

Chat was about to stand with Esprit and Ladybug when he noticed a shadow coming towards them. He couldn't make out much. It was too far away, but his night vision showed that something was coming towards them. As it got closer, he realized that there were two figures. 

"Get down!" Chat cried, tackling Ladybug and Esprit. 

Two figures went over their heads, skidding to a halt on the other end of the Arc. Esprit, Ladybug and Chat scrambled to their feet. Standing in front of them were Hawkmoth and Mayura. They stood in a stand off. Chat realized that they had figured out that they would be here and attempted to ambush them. 

"Hello, Ladybug, Chat Noir," Hawkmoth said darkly. "We're here for your miraculous." 

"That's a bit obvious," Esprit snapped, drawing her sticks. "Just one problem; we outnumber you." 

"How wrong you are, little bird," Mayura replied. 

She held up a dark blue feather and placed it on Hawkmoth's cane. A giant moth monster appeared in front of them and quickly attacked, causing them to scatter. Esprit managed to regroup with Chat and Ladybug on a nearby roof. She heard Tali clear as a bell inside of her mind. 

_"That's a sentimonster."_

_"Thank you, Tali. I realize that."_

_"They work like akumas. Break the object where the amok is hiding and it will vanish. Be careful."_

_"I'll do my best."_

As it turned out, sentimonsters were actually _worse_ than akumas. Hawkmoth had the sentimonster focus on Esprit, which made it hard to help the others. Chat took on Mayura and Ladybug took on Hawkmoth. From what little Esprit was able to see, the two villains had an edge over them, though Mayura was definitely the less difficult of the two. 

_"Focus on the sentimonster, then analyse Mayura."_

_"I'm multitasking."_

Esprit was a little distracted and ended up getting swatted by one of the moth's legs. 

_"Multitasking. Right."_

_"Not helping, Tali."_

_"Break the cane."_

Esprit jumped to her feet and spotted Ladybug in a lock with Hawkmoth. She did something that, admittedly, might have been a little dumb. She ran straight at the sentimonster and jumped up, grabbing onto its leg and started running up its body. It was more difficult than it looked, as the giant moth was none to happy to have Esprit climbing up onto its head. Before it could shake her off, Esprit jumped from its head. 

"Ladybug, move!" 

Thankfully, Ladybug was quick to roll away. 

"Spirit Wind!" 

Wind started swirling around Esprit. She used it to cushion her landing, then sent it right at Hawkmoth. He was trapped in her cyclone. Esprit could feel his determination and his frustration with her interference. Esprit tried to stop from going through his emotions. She needed to focus. She had to break the cane. But Hawkmoth's mind was an open book. The man was terrible at shielding it and Esprit saw her face, her civilian face. He hated her, not just because she was another hero, but because she was a blemish in his life, a stain he didn't even know was there and she was poisoning his son. Hawkmoth, Gabriel Agreste, her father, _despised_ her. 

"Esprit!" Ladybug cried. 

Ladybug was trying to restrain the sentimonster. Her yo-yo was wrapped around its leg, but it was persistent, pulling her towards Esprit. the cyclone around Hawkmoth was becoming erratic and she didn't have much time before she needed to release the wind. Esprit pulled one last move. 

_"You hate me so much?!" she screamed into his mind. "Then show me! We'll see who hates who more!"_

Hawkmoth's hands tightened around his cane. Esprit made him even more angry, pushing as hard as she could. The cane started to crack until it was snapped in half. As soon as the amok flew out, Esprit made the wind disperse. The sentimonster disappeared in a cloud of blue smoke. Esprit looked up and saw Hawkmoth glaring at her. Yeah, he hated her. 

She couldn't remember much of what happened after that. She was unsteady. Ladybug and Chat kept pushing them. They retreated before Chat could call on his cataclysm, which disappointed Esprit. She would've liked to see him use it on Hawkmoth. It was midnight by the time they were able to go their separate ways. They had been out for a total of three hours. Casey got home and didn't have the energy to go to her room. Tali sat on her leg and looked up at her with concern. 

"Casey," Tali said quietly. 

Casey let out a dark chuckle. "He hates me. Why doesn't that surprise me? He really hates me." 

"Casey, you're tired. You need to rest," Tali advised. "Tonight was a lot." 

"Nah, let's stay up all night. Parade it around the streets. Gabriel Agreste, my unfortunate sperm donor, hates me and just so happens to be Hawkmoth. I don't know who's more angry at this arrangement. Me or him?!" 

Casey didn't realize that she had started crying until a tear dropped on her leg. Tali hovered in front of her face and dabbed at the tears with her paws. 

"I don't even know why I'm crying," Casey stated, her voice cracking. "It's not like I actually like the guy. He's horrible. He's a monster. Why should I care what he thinks of me?! He didn't even know who I was until this week! I've got a family all my own that he's not in! I've got a dad!" 

"Because you've wanted to know your birth father since you were old enough to understand that he wasn't around," Tali replied. "You wanted him to know you." 

"Doesn't matter now. He's a super villain. He hurt my mom. We hate each other." 

"Get some sleep," Tali said softly. "Forget about it, just for a bit and rest." 

Tali pulled on Casey's finger and got her to lay down. As Casey started to drift off, Tali grabbed a blanket and pulled it around her chosen. She settled next to Casey's head and rubbed her paw through her hair. 

"I don't know what to do, Tali." 

"We'll figure it out. Just rest." 

"I'd be lost without you." 

"Then it's a good thing I'm not leaving you any time soon." 

Casey fell into an uneasy sleep. Tali floated into the kitchen and grabbed a piece of chocolate before reclaiming her spot next to Casey's head. After eating her fill, she curled into a ball and snuggled as close to her chosen as she could. If she ever had a moment alone with Gabriel, she would summon the biggest cyclone she could and launch him into orbit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Writing that last scene broke my heart. I'm sorry, Casey! It's needed for the plot!


	20. An Old Friend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien can tell that something is wrong with Casey. Casey gets a visitor. Gabriel makes an ultimatum. Lila and Marinette have a conversation.

The akumas didn't let up, and after that encounter with Hawkmoth and Mayura, Adrien was a little on edge. A few news reports had popped up, covering the battle, but there wan't really much to it. Not a lot of people had been around to catch it on film. He didn't like that they had figured out where they were meeting for training. Maybe he could suggest something to Esprit about changing where they meet up every week. Still, there was a lingering sense of dread. They were up to something big.

Something was also wrong with Casey. He visited the Garage on Monday again. She was happy to see him, that much was certain, but she had bags under her eyes and she didn't have her usual energy and attitude. It worried him. He asked her about it and she told him she was having some family drama and needed to get some facts straight. From what she'd told him, she was very close with her family, so he had to wonder what could make her so upset. 

"Don't worry Kid," Casey said after he asked about it for the millionth time. "I'll be fine." 

"I know, I just don't want you to become an akuma," Adrien replied. 

Casey ruffled his hair. "Old Bug Brain is gonna have a real hard time getting me to cooperate with him long enough to make me a super villain." 

Adrien didn't respond. Casey glanced over from the car she was working on and met his eyes. "Adrien, some things are...complicated. It just takes some time to process them and figure out what to do." 

"Is everything alright with your family? There's not something wrong with you and your parents, is there?" 

"No," Casey assured him. "Everything's fine between me and my parents. Just...some issues with my birth father. I promise, when I get everything sorted in my head, I'll talk about it. Just not now. Okay?" 

Adrien's shoulders slumped. "Okay. It's just, you're there for me and my friends. I want to be there for you too." 

"And I appreciate that. I just can't talk about this yet." 

Casey gave him a half-hearted smile and Adrien knew better than to push her. As she worked, he decided to talk to her about some of his favorite anime, just to try and get her mind off of things. Occasionally, he asked about what she was doing, and she'd explain it. It was just going back and forth about a lot of stuff. 

"Casey!" Josue called. "There's someone here to see you!" 

"In a minute!" Casey called back. 

"You might want to see him now!" 

"Then send him in!" 

A boy about Casey's age walked into the garage. He gave Adrien a conspiratory wink and gestured for him to not say anything. The boy's hair was jet black and spiked at all sorts of odd angles. Adrien felt like he should know who he was, but couldn't put his finger on it.

"Really, I come all the way from Portsmouth, and you can't even leave your work to come and greet me? For shame, Casey Barbereau. For shame," he said, shaking his head. "And here I thought we were best mates." 

Adrien saw Casey's eyes widened and she stood up from the car. Her mouth was hanging open when she looked at the boy. 

"Charlie!" Casey exclaimed, running towards him and wrapping him in a hug. 

It was Adrien's turn to be stunned. "Wait... _this_ is Charlie? _The_ Charlie? The one Josue says you got into trouble with all the time?" 

"Unless there's another Charlie in her life that she hasn't told me about," Charlie replied. "You haven't been holding out on me, have you Barbereau?" 

"Oh, put a sock in it, Roberts," Casey said with a smirk. "What are you doing in Paris? Why didn't you text me?" 

"Your mom said you'd been having a rough patch. Said you could use an old, friendly face," Charlie answered. "Now, I'm not old, but I'm fairly sure I'm friendly. Now, introduce me to the boy?" 

"Charlie, this is Adrien," Casey replied. "Adrien, this is Charlie Roberts. My best friend from Portsmouth." 

"I'll make sure Danny knows you said that," Charlie piped. He extended a hand to Adrien. "Nice to meet you, Kid. Has Casey been making you work your ass off?" 

"No, not really," Adrien answered. 

"He's not really the mechanic type," Casey said with a shrug. "Plus, it's a little too messy for his dad's liking." 

"Well, maybe I should try it," Adrien replied. "I've been asking so many questions. I want to get my hands dirty." 

"Have I mentioned that I love your new rebellious streak?" 

"So he's a rebel. Nice. I'll send you some of my old leather jackets," Charlie said, nudging Adrien with a wink. 

Casey rolled her eyes. "Please don't. The leather jacket phase was terrible and you know it." 

"You never did appreciate my sense of style," Charlie huffed. 

"It's a miracle you even know how to dress yourself," Casey teased. 

"You see this? I come all the way from our hometown and what does she do? Say 'great to see you' or 'let's grab a pint'? No, she decides to make jabs," Charlie said, backing into the wall melodramatically. "Well let's see if I ever come all the way to visit you after this." 

"Don't pout. You're worse than Daisy," Casey replied, lightly smacking him on the arm. "It's great to see you, Charlie." 

"That's better. Now, what are we working on?" 

It was incredibly entertaining to watch Charlie and Casey work together. Adrien couldn't stop laughing. The two constantly teased each other, smeared grease on each other's shirts and talked about the car so fast that Adrien could barely keep up. It reminded him a little bit of how he and Ladybug could act around each other...when there wasn't an imminent crisis. That being said, the two didn't exclude him either. Sometimes, Adrien ended up sandwiched between the two while they showed him something under the hood. Charlie had a little fun and smeared some grease across Adrien's cheek. Adrien retaliated by putting some across the front of his t-shirt. By the time he had to go back to school, it was a miracle that Adrien only had a few small grease spots on his face and not on his clothes. Some of that might have had to do with the fact that Casey made sure that he was constantly wiping down his hands to avoid staining his clothes. 

"I'm not incurring that kind of wrath," Casey had said. "Besides, you still have to go back to school. Can't have you going in greasy clothes." 

Unfortunately, Casey wasn't able to walk him back to school, but she watched to make sure he got around the corner. He got back to DuPont with plenty of time to spare and met up with Marinette, Alya and Nino. They saw his face and started chuckling. 

"What? Adrien asked. 

"Dude, you've got a little something on your face," Nino pointed out. 

"Oh, the grease," Adrien realized. "Guess I forgot to wipe it off my face." 

Marinette pulled some tissues out of her purse. "Here. These should do the trick." 

"Thanks." 

"What were you doing to get your face so dirty?" Alya asked. 

"Casey's friend Charlie came to visit," Adrien explained. "Put those two together and things get a little messy." 

"Wait, you met Charlie?" Marinette piped. "No way! What's he like? From the stories he always seemed like a Peter Pan kind of personality." 

"That's accurate," Adrien replied. "He's really cool. As soon as he showed up, Casey lit up. I've never seen her with a smile that big." 

"Um, dude, you've still got some grease," Nino stated, pointing to a spot on Adrien's face. 

Adrien attempted to wipe it away. It was clear after fumbling around for a few seconds that he was missing the spot. 

"Here, let me," Marinette said, taking the tissue. 

Marinette had to stand on her tip-toes to reach Adrien's face. It took her just a second to wipe it away and step back. Her face was a little flushed. Adrien rubbed the back of his neck and gave her a sheepish smile. 

"Thanks, Marinette," Adrien replied. 

"N-no problem," she stammered, throwing away the tissue. "I've gotta get to class. I'll see you guys later!" 

Adrien hoped his face wasn't as red as Marinette's was. Alya and Nino didn't have enough time to tease, as the three of them needed to get to class. 

Casey and Charlie were catching up while working. Josue would interject into the conversation, mostly to tease them and ask if they had any intentions of setting his garage on fire. 

"Of course we're not going to set the garage on fire," Charlie stated. "I thought you had more faith in us, Josue." 

"Individually, you are quite reliable. Together? You get into more trouble than a fox in a hen house," Josue replied. "Fistfights, food fights, _lab fires_." 

"The chemistry lab fire was all him," Casey interjected. "I was just trying to put it out." 

"I was trying to do a trick I saw on Youtube," Charlie said defensively. 

"And I told you, picking up the beaker full of burning butane was a _bad idea_ ," Casey replied. "There was only one way that was going to end. You're lucky you didn't burn your hand when you picked it up. There's a reason they gave us tongs." 

"But where's the fun in that?" Charlie complained. 

"Do you have any common sense?" Casey asked. 

"Yes, I just choose not to apply it," Charlie answered. "That's your job." 

"I have a feeling you'd die if I wasn't around to save your neck." 

"I've made it two months, haven't I?" 

Josue chuckled. "While you two continue this discussion, I'm going to go get us some lunch and pick up Felice. Try to stay out of trouble." 

"No promises," Charlie replied. 

Charlie and Casey kept working on the car for a few minutes before finally deciding to take a break. Casey was happy to see her best friend again. With everything that had happened, it made things feel a bit more normal. 

"Hey, you got any sodas?" Charlie asked. 

"Some up in my fridge," Casey answered. "Straight up those stairs, kitchen's to your right through the door. Bring me a cidona?" 

"Comin' right up," Charlie said, venturing up the stairs. 

Casey took a deep breath and enjoyed the sun streaming into the garage. Her mom had been smart to send Charlie. She needed somebody who could just get her to joke around. Casey's smile vanished when a familiar silver car pulled up. Gabriel came towards her with a blank expression on his face. 

"Is this a thing now?" Casey asked. "Are you gonna keep popping in for weekly visits?" 

"Until we've reached an arrangement," Gabriel answered. 

"I've already told you my arrangement. You can take it or leave it." 

"But that discounts two large factors," Gabriel stated. "One being that you are still active in my son's life." 

"I told you, I'm not interested in your demented family politics," Casey replied. 

"And the other is that you're in the way of my...personal endeavors." 

"So that's the angle this time. You leave me alone in civilian life as long as I don't interfere with your demonic quest for magical jewelry," Casey said with a sigh. 

Gabriel raised an eyebrow. Casey had a feeling that if she removed the tie around his neck, she'd see the brooch that was the Butterfly Miraculous. She'd give him props for knowing how to hide it. 

"I was inside your head. And given how bad you are at shielding your mind, you shouldn't be too surprised that I figured it out." 

"I am doing it for my family," Gabriel snarled. 

"I don't care if it's for world peace. You're terrorizing innocent people," Casey snapped. "Ends don't justify means." 

"You could be apart of that family, Casey," Gabriel said calmly. "You could truly be Adrien's sister, my daughter." 

"Don't play that card with me!" Casey hissed. "I was inside your head! I saw enough to know _exactly_ how you feel about me! You don't get to try and manipulate me with an empty promise and you sure as hell don't get to use my brother as a bargaining chip!" 

"Then perhaps your other family will be suitable motivation," Gabriel stated, handing Casey a folder. 

Casey looked inside to find screenshots from social media and pictures of her and everyone in her family. "You've been cyber stalking me." 

"If you take my offer now, they won't get hurt. I'm sure you'd hate to see your sister caught in the middle of all this." 

"You know, I thought you couldn't sink lower, but you just keep surprising me. What's next? Are you going to threaten Adrien?" 

"I would never hurt my son." 

"There are a few akumas that beg to differ. Didn't one of them throw him off a building?" 

Gabriel looked like he was about to slap her. Casey would have loved for him to try. It would give her an excuse to punch him. 

"Let me be clear. I have resources that I am not afraid to use to get what I want," Gabriel said sharply. "I can and will ruin your life if you get in my way, and your family will be the first to suffer. So, if you want to do what's best for them, you will take off your miraculous and never speak of my secrets." 

Casey's hands tightened around the folder. Wind started picking up. Gabriel either didn't notice or didn't realize that Casey was the source of it. Gabriel wore a self-assured smile, believing that he'd forced her hand. 

"Get out of my garage," she growled. 

"You entered a dangerous game, Casey," Gabriel stated. "Think about what I've said." 

"Casey!" Charlie called from the stairs. "I hope you know that you're now out of Cidona!" 

Charlie came in to find Casey glaring at Gabriel, who had schooled his expression into one of neutrality. 

"Good day, Ms. Barbereau," Gabriel said, returning to his car. 

Casey used her hand to give an explicit gesture to Gabriel's car as it drove away. Charlie let out an undignified squawk at seeing Casey flip someone off. She ignored his shocked expression and shoved the folder under her tool box. The wind faded away faster than it had appeared, though Casey was still fuming. 

"So...who was that?" Charlie asked, handing her a soda. 

"No one," Casey answered. "A customer." 

"It wasn't just another customer. You never use gestures like that with customers," Charlie replied. 

"He was a customer, Charlie," Casey repeated. "Just...drop it." 

He wanted to keep pushing her. If he had, Casey didn't think she would be able to put up much of a fight. He was silent for a minute. Casey knew what he was doing. He was trying to figure out what she was feeling.

Charlie wrapped Casey in a tight hug. "Customers are real asses." 

"You have no idea." 

Charlie and Casey settled on the floor of the Garage, with Charlie telling as many terrible jokes as possible. He wanted to see how many he could use until Casey decided to give him a playful smack on the back of the head. His previous record had been seven. This time, he was able to make ten. 

"I know what you're trying to do," Casey said after smacking him. 

"And what do you think I'm trying to do?" Charlie asked with an innocent smile. 

"You're trying to get me to smile," Casey replied. "It's not gonna work." 

"I beg to differ. I see you trying to hide that smirk. You think I'm hilarious." 

"Do not." 

"Do too." 

"Do not. And if you keep pushing it, I'm gonna smack you again," Casey stated. 

"Oh please," Charlie said, leaning against her shoulder. "You know you love my jokes." 

Casey rolled her eyes. "Keep telling yourself that, Charlie." 

Josue's car pulled into the alley. He came in with Felice. Both were carrying a pizza box. Felice smiled at seeing Charlie. 

"Hello, Charlie," she said. "I see you're keeping Casey entertained." 

"Hey, Ms. Barbereau," Charlie replied. "Welcome back, Josue. As you can see, there's not a single scorch mark." 

Josue and Felice took spots on the floor near Casey and Charlie. Josue was excited to tell Casey and Charlie about a new restoration project. Charlie told them about the work he was doing in Portsmouth and Felice talked about her online store. Casey and Felice shared exasperated looks when Charlie and Josue started trading jokes. The two had worse puns that Chat, and Casey had heard him make a lot of bad puns. Nevertheless, they kept Casey smiling through the rest of her work day. 

Marinette was ready to head home after school ended. Her classmates all gave her cheerful goodbyes and promises to see her tomorrow. She went to her locker to make sure she took all of her homework with her. After being in Ms. Medeleiev's class for a week, Marinette found that she was getting better at keeping on top of her work and managing her time. Ms. Bustier was a good teacher, but sometimes she was a little too relaxed in letting tardies and late work slide. As Marinette closed her locker, she noticed Lila glaring at her from the door. 

"Something I can help you with, Lila?" Marinette asked, keeping her expression neutral. 

"I just wanted to ask how it's going in your new class. Enjoying it?" Lila replied coldly. 

"It certainly is a change," Marinette answered. "I don't suppose you know anything about my transfer." 

Lila pretended to examine her nails. "Now why would I know anything about that? All I did was suggest to some of your previous classmates that you might have been harassing a fellow student. I don't suppose you know anything about Adrien's sudden desire to avoid me." 

"Oh, I wouldn't call it sudden. I think you've just been too self-absorbed to realize that he really doesn't like you."

"Bold words for a social outcast." 

"I'm not as outcast as you think I am." 

"Really? I've taken your friends, I've take away your secret hangout, I've even turned your teacher against you," Lila listed. "I've won." 

"No. You haven't," Marinette replied. "You're too blind to see that you can't win this one." 

"I can turn the whole class on you and that mechanic that keeps giving you shelter. I'll make sure Adrien can never speak to you again," Lila threatened. 

"A few problems with that plan. You underestimate Adrien and what he can and will do for his friends, and that mechanic? She knows exactly what you are and she knows exactly what will happen if you try to take her on," Marinette replied calmly. "You picked the wrong targets, Lila." 

"And what exactly am I?" Lila asked. 

Marinette paused for a moment. She could call her a mosquito, which would certainly get the point across. However, there was a slight instinct in her to quote Adrien. There wasn't much else for this to escalate into. They already hated each other and Lila was determined to ruin her. Was it taking the high road? No. Would it be satisfying? _Oh yes_. 

"You're a bitch," Marinette stated, walking out of the locker room.


	21. Dealing With Psychopathic Fathers is a Pain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Casey and Charlie hang out before he needs to catch his train. Casey and Tali have a discussion about Gabriel's last visit. Plagg and Adrien want to know what Gabriel has against Casey.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just discovered the joy of this thing called outlining. Now I've got a skeleton for the last few chapters and they should get done in no time! I'll also outline the sequel, so that should come out pretty soon too. Bear with me for the final stretch of the first work in the Eagle Miraculous Trilogy. Hope you enjoy the chapter!

Charlie stayed in town for about a day before having to head back to Portsmouth. Even if it had just been an overnight visit, Casey was glad to have gotten the chance to see her best friend. Josue even gave her the day off to hang out with him before his train left. They decided to spend the morning at the Fontaine de Mers. There weren't a lot of people around, given that it was the middle of the week, and Casey was glad for the quiet morning. There wasn't even a hint of an akuma. 

"So, how have you been adjusting to life in a city with super heroes?" Charlie asked. "Seems like a big change from boring ol' Portsmouth." 

"It took awhile to get used to," Casey admitted. "But the heroes do a good job. I'm not scared." 

"Not even a little bit?" Charlie teased. 

"I'm more scared of Mrs. Abernethy." 

"Don't remind me of that woman," Charlie said with a shudder. "She was out to get us from day one. She even hated Aria." 

"I have no clue how anyone finds it in them to hate Aria of all people." 

"So, you're really not scared of the akumas?" 

Casey shook her head. "They're still just people. Sure, the superpowers make them a little more dangerous, but if you use your head, you can stay safe." 

"Of the four of us, you are _definitely_ the brave one," Charlie stated. 

"You can be brave when you want to be," Casey replied. 

"No, I lack common sense. There's a difference." 

Casey reached into the fountain and lightly splashed Charlie. "Don't sell yourself short, Roberts." 

"I'm not," Charlie splashed her back. "And don't go starting a splash war you can't win, Barbereau." 

The two kept splashing each other, each splash getting gradually bigger. They kept at it until they got scolded by a police officer. As they left the fountain, Casey spotted Andre's Ice Cream Cart. She pulled Charlie over to the cart. 

"Trust me, this is the best ice cream in Paris," Casey told him. "You can't visit and not try it. It would be an insult to Paris." 

"Really? You're sure it's that good?" Charlie laughed. 

"Positive. I brought Daisy here last time they visited," Casey promised. "Andre!" 

"Oh, hello, Ms. Barbereau," Andre said cheerfully. 

"You remember me? I've only been here once," Casey remarked. 

"I remember all who come to my cart," Andre stated. "Especially when they have a bubbly little sister such as yours. Now, one ice cream to share for the happy couple?" 

"We're not a couple," Charlie replied with a chuckle. "Just best mates. I don't think she'd put up with my jokes that much." 

"Yeah, no magic couple ice cream today," Casey added. "Just two ice cream cones." 

Andre held up his hands with a smile. "Of course, coming right up." 

Charlie turned toward Casey with a confused look. 

"Magic couple ice cream?" He mouthed. 

"I'll explain later," Casey mouthed back. 

"For the lovely lady, a scoop of dark chocolate and salted caramel," Andre proclaimed, handing Casey a cone. "And for the young man, a scoop of raspberry vanilla swirl and peach. Enjoy your ice cream."

"Thanks, Andre," Casey said, handing him the payment. 

Charlie took a lick of the peach ice cream and his face lit up. "This is awesome! You weren't kidding when you said it was good." 

"I never kid about ice cream," she replied with a smirk. 

They kept walking along. Charlie waited until they were a good distance away from Andre's cart to ask his question.

"So what was that whole thing about magic couples?" 

"There's a little story that gets passed around about Andre's ice cream being magic," Casey explained. "Couples that share a cone from Andre's stay together forever. He usually picks flavors that correspond to the traits of the couple, like hair and eyes. That kind of stuff." 

"Interesting. What do you think my ice cream represents?" Charlie asked, giving his ice cream a scrutinizing once-over. 

"I don't know," Casey giggled. "I didn't take you there to find out who your soulmate was." 

"I have a feeling peach is referencing the lips," Charlie stated, mimicking a stereotypical critic. "But I cannot determine what the artist meant when he picked raspberry vanilla." 

"You're a dork," Casey teased. "Just eat your ice cream." 

"But you're stuck with this dork for the rest of your life. That's what happens when you take one in and make them your best friend." 

It was nice for the two to walk around Paris. They passed by Adrien and Marinette's school, where Marinette spotted them from a window. Marinette and Casey exchanged waves. Charlie decided to jump up and down like a maniac. 

"Hi person Casey knows!" He shouted, waving his arms like a monkey. "Hi! I'm Charlie!" 

"She's in class, Charlie," Casey scolded. "You're gonna make her laugh and get her in trouble." 

Charlie stopped jumping and shrugged his shoulders. "Oh well," he said calmly. He gave Marinette a small wave then continued walking. 

Casey caught Marinette trying hard not to laugh. She motioned for her to return to whatever subject she was supposed to be doing, then went to catch up with Charlie. Eventually, the time came for Charlie to catch his train. they made it to the station with minutes to spare. 

"This was fun," Charlie said. "We need to do it again soon." 

"Definitely," Casey replied. "Maybe we can get Danny and Aria to come over too." 

"I'll bet those kids would love to meet them. They'd be all 'Wah? Casey has friends that are actually her age? What is this? Casey wasn't always a nineteen year old mechanic?' It'll blow their minds." 

Casey let out a chuckle. "I dread to think what might happen if Danny ever meets Adrien. They think I corrupt him? Danny would have him turned into a heavy metal head by the end of the day." 

They heard the train pull into the station. The intercom called for people to get ready to board. Casey and Charlie hugged each other and Casey was half tempted to tell him to stay an extra day. She wasn't ready to say goodbye. She let go anyway. She didn't get to tell people when they got to leave. She could only enjoy their company for as long as they wanted to stay. 

"I'll see you soon, Casey," Charlie said, heading towards the train. "Make sure to come home for Christmas." 

"I will. Don't do anything stupid until I get there." 

"No promises!" 

Casey waved to Charlie from the platform until the train was out of sight. The walk home was pretty quiet. Casey wished that she'd stayed happy when she got back to her apartment, but as soon as she sat down on the couch, she saw the folder full of Gabriel's information on her family. She had avoided going through everything until she had a chance to do it in private. Thankfully, Charlie hadn't asked her anything about it. She opened it to find that Gabriel had pieced a lot together. He knew that her family was settled in Portsmouth, what bank Charles worked at, what after school program her mom worked for and even what team Daisy played soccer with. It sickened her. It was a power play to get her to cooperate. She stared down at the pictures, trying to come up with a next move. 

"What are you thinking, Casey?" Tali asked, sitting on the coffee table. 

"I'm trying to figure out where we can go with this. He could do anything with this. And he knows who to go after first." 

"Why don't you tell your mother? She can be prepared to protect Daisy," Tali advised. 

Casey shook her head. "Mom will just get them to pack up and run again. I was young enough that I didn't lose much when we started running. But Daisy? She's got a life. She'll be devastated. And Charles can't just up and run from his job. I need more info. Stuff I can use against Gabriel. The paternity test is a double edged sword, but he's not afraid to use it. I can't come out and tell the world he's Hawkmoth without revealing you, and even then, the only proof I've got is what Spirit Wind showed me." 

"So even if you tried to, there's not a guarantee it would protect your family and put Gabriel." 

"And there's still Mayura. She could go after them while Gabriel gets tied up in court...he's got me, Tali. I'm in a corner and I don't know how to get out." 

Tali was silent for a moment. Casey waited patiently for whatever advice her kwami could give her. No matter what happened, Tali always helped Casey find a way to get out of a tough spot. 

"Maybe it's time to tell your brother." 

Casey stared at Tali. "Are you sure?" 

Tali nodded. "You need someone on the inside to help you. Adrien could help you protect your family." 

"Wait, I'm not just gonna tell him so I can use him," Casey protested. "He's a kid, Tali." 

"Yes, and it's time you told him the truth," Tali replied. "About who you are, about what Gabriel is and what's happening. You can't shield him from this forever. He needs to know. And be honest with yourself. Have you held off on telling him to protect him or yourself?" 

"Hey, now isn't the time to be taking shots!" 

"I'm not taking shots, I'm stating a fact. Yes, you wanted to spare Adrien from learning that his father wasn't perfect, but he already knew that. You wanted to protect yourself. You didn't want him to reject you as a sister." 

"Alright, fine," Casey relented. "Maybe it's high time he knew, but that doesn't change the fact that the moment Gabriel finds out I blabbed, he'll go after Daisy. So we need to do this discretely." 

"Well, that was a given," Tali deadpanned. 

"I hate being the oldest. Keeping siblings safe from a psychopath is a nightmare," Casey took a deep breath. "Bad idea to tell him when he visits. No way he'll be able to process it while at school. That Lila chick could tell Gabriel that something's up, but I can't see him in private either. You know, I'm starting to think I dodged a bullet by not having Gabriel around when I was growing up. He's got serious control issues." 

"We'll figure it out," Tali assured her. "And Casey? I think he'll be thrilled to learn that you're his sister." 

"Thanks, Tali. Now, let's get to work. We've got to do this fast before Gabriel gets a chance to enact his ultimatum." 

Adrien got home from school a little earlier than usual, given that his fencing practice was cancelled. He hoped Mr. D'Argencourt got over his cold soon. Fencing was one of his favorite extracurriculars. At first, it seemed like it would be a normal day. His father was either in his office or his bedroom, ignoring Adrien as usual. The house was empty and Adrien did his homework in peace. He realized something was off when Nathalie knocked on his door. 

"Adrien, your father wishes to speak with you in his office," she said. 

Adrien started running through everything he'd done in the past couple of days. He hadn't seen or heard Lila come over, so she hadn't said anything to his father here. He had done all of his activities and his grades were still high. Was his father going to talk to him about his friends again? His head was buzzing with possible things his father could say to him. He made it to the door of his father's office and took a deep breath. He reminded himself that if his father did something unreasonable, he could simply do what he did when he was ordered to stop seeing Marinette and Luka; ignore it. 

"Come in, Adrien," Gabriel called. 

"You wanted to see me, Father?" Adrien replied, standing straight. 

"Yes. Adrien, something troubling has come to my attention. I find that Ms. Barbereau is a troubling influence." 

Adrien already didn't like where this conversation was going. He remembered what Plagg had overheard. His father had told Lila that he would deal with Casey. Adrien could guess what the next words out of his father's mouth would be. 

"I am forbidding you from going to see Ms. Barbereau," Gabriel stated. "I should have put a stop to this nonsense the moment it started. Ms. Barbereau will be made aware that you are no longer allowed to visit her or engage with her while she is here for work purposes. If I hear word of you going to see her I will be forced to take action. Have I made myself clear, Adrien?" 

Adrien wanted to argue. He wanted to tell him that he couldn't dictate who Adrien let into his life. He wanted to tell him it wasn't his damn business. That particular phrase probably wouldn't help the current situation. Besides, if Adrien said any of those things, he'd only get into trouble and possibly pulled from school. 

"Yes, Father," Adrien said tonelessly. "I understand." 

_But I think it's stupid._

Gabriel dismissed Adrien and he made his way back to his room. It took everything in him to not slam the door. He couldn't let his father know just how pissed he was. He took deep breaths, trying to calm himself down to keep from being bug bait. He wondered how Casey was taking it. She was already so upset with her birth father. What if she became an akuma because of this? He didn't want to fight Casey as an akuma! He hated fighting any of his friends as akumas, but there were three people that he would be terrified to face as akumas: Ladybug, Marinette, and Casey. He had a feeling they would make incredibly powerful, hyper-competent super villains. 

"So, what are you thinking?" Plagg asked. "Are you gonna stop seeing the Mechanic?" 

Adrien let out a snort. "No. My father's wrong about her. Casey's great. Honestly, I'd probably still be rolling over for Lila if not for her and Marinette. No way I'm cutting her off." 

"Smart idea," Plagg replied. "Personally, I think there's more to this than just him thinking she's a bad influence." 

"Like what?" 

"I don't know," he said with a shrug. "But every time we're around her I get this feeling. Like we're supposed to know her from somewhere." 

Adrien gave Plagg a doubtful look. "I think you're just imagining things. But my father has been making strange decisions about my friends. Sure he's never liked them, but there's something going on that he isn't telling me." 

"That's not new, kid," Plagg stated. "He keeps an awful lot of secrets. Remember that book?" 

"The one about the superheroes? Yeah," Adrien replied. "It's a miracle it got found or I wouldn't be in school right now. Do you think there's something he knows about Casey that he's not telling me?" 

"I don't know. I just know that something about this whole situation stinks." 

Adrien took a seat at his desk and continued with his homework. Plagg sat on top of Adrien's head and glared at the door. He wasn't a big fan of Gabriel. The man was horribly lacking in communication skills, had no interest in establishing any sort of relationship with his son and was such a helicopter parent that Plagg had to wonder what would happen when Adrien finally got old enough to live on his own. But there was something else going on behind the scenes. Plagg wondered if the Mechanic knew what was going on and if she would tell Adrien about it if he asked. He didn't trust Gabriel to be honest about the situation, not that the man ever shared important details with his son. Plagg felt the need to hiss rising in his throat as he thought of what Gabriel might be doing behind his son's back.


	22. Foxes and Peacocks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lila decides to stir up trouble, much to Marinette and Adrien's chagrin. Nathalie decides to have a conversation with Casey.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're in the final stretch! Thanks for all the hits and kudos and comments. I was not expecting people to get so invested. I won't really be able to update this weekend, so you'll have to wait in suspense for a little bit. Enjoy the chapter!

Marinette knew she was probably going to face some sort of retribution for what she said to Lila. She wasn't sure what she was expecting, but she knew to expect something. She tried not to think about it in class. Seeing Casey and who she assumed was Charlie wave at her from the sidewalk had been pretty entertaining. Of course, everything had to come out the moment she was dismissed to lunch. Marinette went to join Adrien. They weren't able to go to the Garage, so they were meeting Luka and Kagami at the park. They were about to leave when almost everyone in Adrien's class, save for Alya and Nino swarmed around them. Marinette noticed Lila sitting at a table, sobbing into her hands while Rose and Mylene tried to comfort her. 

"Marinette, what the heck?!" Kim snapped. "When did you turn into such a jerk?!" 

"What are you talking about, Kim?" Marinette asked. 

"What is he talking about?!" Alix asked incredulously. "Lila has a black eye that _you_ gave her!" 

"We cannot comprehend why you would feel the need to punch Lila," Max piped. "It's out of character for you, Marinette." 

"I didn't punch her," Marinette replied. "I don't know how she got a black eye, but she didn't get it from me." 

"Yeah, and I'll bet you haven't been picking on her outside of school either," Kim scoffed. "Seriously, Marinette. What's gotten into you?" 

Everyone in the crowd started shouting over each other, claiming that Marinette had assaulted, bullied and stolen from Lila. There were so many accusations that Marinette couldn't say a word in her defense. Some reached out towards Adrien, attempting to pull him into the crowd. He yanked his arm away and found scratch marks from where people had grabbed him. Alya and Nino were attempting to make their way over to help them, but the couldn't get through their classmates. People from Marinette's class noticed the crowd and started coming over to investigate. 

"Hey!" Aurore shouted, silencing the crowd. "What's going on here? What's with the swarm?" 

"We are confronting Marinette for her unfair treatment of Lila," Max stated. 

"It looks like you're mobbing her," Mireille said, crossing her arms. "And what exactly is this unfair treatment?" 

"She's been picking on Lila ever since she got back to school," Alix answered. 

Mireille, Aurore and Marc glanced over at the table where Lila was sitting. Lila looked up and they saw what looked like a nasty black bruise around her right eye. Marinette would admit that it was a good fake. If she hadn't known Lila was lying about it, she probably would have fallen for it too. 

"I'm so sorry," Lila said, quieting her crocodile tears. "I didn't mean to make a scene. I just don't understand why Marinette hates me." 

"Well, that is a nasty bruise," Aurore replied. "You said Marinette punched you?" 

Lila nodded. "I went to talk to her at her locker and I guess I said something to upset her, because she punched me." 

"Did she suddenly turn into a lefty?" Mireille asked. 

"Excuse me?" 

"Well, your right eye is the one that's bruised," Aurore pointed out. "But if Marinette was the one that punched you, she'd have to move her fist around your nose, because she's right handed." 

"I don't follow," Kim interjected. "What does that have to do with the fact that Marinette punched Lila?" 

"I'm right handed, Kim," Marinette stated. "If I wanted to punch someone in the face who's standing in front of me, I'd have to hit their left side for it to effective, but it shouldn't matter because I _didn't punch her_." 

"Are you calling Lila a liar?" Rose asked, looking utterly shocked at the accusation. 

"Yes," they said simultaneously. 

Lila let out a shrill cry, bursting into more sobs. "I can't believe you would try to turn all of these people against me, Marinette. I just wanted to be your friend." 

Adrien's class rushed over to Lila to give the girl comfort. Marinette rolled her eyes and resumed her walk to the door. Adrien followed, internally groaning. As they made their way to the park, Marinette noticed the scratches on his arm and her eyes widened with worry. 

"Adrien, what happened?" Marinette said, examining his arm. 

"Some people tried to pull me into the crowd," Adrien admitted. "Guess they were pulling really hard." 

"It's a miracle they didn't draw blood," Marinette fussed. 

"We can worry about it later," Adrien assured her. "Let's go join the others." 

Kagami was just as concerned as Marinette when she noticed. Adrien couldn't stop the two girls from checking over his arm and asking if he had gotten scratched anywhere else. Luka gave him an amused expression that Adrien read as 'Rather you than me'. Adrien continually assured them that he was fine. Luka finally came to his aid and helped ease the concern of Marinette and Kagami. Adrien was happy to finally have some peace. As of late, his class had been getting on his nerves more and more. In the first week since Marinette's transfer, he, Nino and Alya had to listen to them pat themselves on the back for separating Lila from her bully and Lila basked in all the attention. Maybe he should consider transferring to Ms. Mendeleiev's class. 

Casey had done as much thinking as she could with the whole Hawkmoth/Family situation. It shouldn't be too hard to find a private time to talk to your little brother who didn't know he was your brother and tell him he was your brother. Alas, Adrien was loaded with too many activities and places where people could be watching. She decided to take a break from the problem and clear her head. There was a nice little cafe down the street where she could take a lunch break. She took a seat at one of the outdoor tables and ordered some soup and salad. As she waited for her food, her phone began ringing. Casey saw her mom's contact photo and smiled. 

"Hey Mom," Casey said with a smile. "Thanks for sending Charlie. It was nice to hang out with him." 

"I thought it might be good for you to see a friend," Evelyn replied. "How is everything going? You seemed stressed last time we talked." 

"I'm figuring it out," Casey replied, working hard to keep her voice level. "It's a little...uneasy, but we're working out an agreement." 

"I'm glad to hear that. I can't imagine how hard it is for you to try and navigate everything with your father without someone else there to help. I'm really proud of you, Casey." 

"Thanks Mom. How are Daisy and Charles?" 

"Charles is a little stressed. There are some problems at the bank that he's in charge of sorting out," Evelyn answered. 

Evelyn kept the details to a minimum. Casey stopped paying attention when she looked up and saw a woman walking towards her table. Casey recognized her as Gabriel's assistant. She tried to keep herself from glaring. The man couldn't even give her a day? She took a seat across from Casey, gesturing for her to continue with her phone conversation. 

"-and I need to talk to you about Daisy." 

Casey's eyes widened. "Is everything alright?" 

"Yeah, just some problems at school," Evelyn answered. "But she won't talk to me or Charles about it. I have a feeling she might be having trouble with some of her friends. She has a long weekend. Would it be okay for her to visit? You guys can have some sister time, get a chance to relax." 

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Casey asked, keeping her gaze on Nathalie. "I mean, akumas are pretty problematic these days." 

"We all know that you'll do anything to keep her safe, and Daisy understands that she's to stay as far away from akumas as possible," Evelyn replied. "I know it's asking a lot." 

Casey paused for a moment to think. She wanted to keep Daisy as far from Gabriel as possible. Paris was the last place she wanted her to be. But if she told her mom no, Evelyn would know something was up. Casey had never, in her life, passed up an opportunity to have her own private time with Daisy. With Nathalie sitting right across from her, Casey felt like she was on a tightrope, about to fall off. 

"Casey?" 

"Yeah. She can definitely come," Casey answered. 

"Thank you so much, honey," Evelyn replied. "We should be able to send her up on the train on Thursday. Think you can meet her at the station?"

"Thursday at the station. I can do that. I've gotta go. I'm meeting someone for lunch. Love you, Mom." 

"I love you too." 

Nathalie waited for Casey to put away her phone. The woman was patient, Casey would give her that much. 

"So, he's resorted to stalking me now?" Casey asked. "I thought I had a little time to consider his 'offer'." 

"He's made his offer. I'm here to make mine," Nathalie replied. 

"He doesn't know you're here, does he? You're doing this behind his back." 

"I believe you are not an unreasonable young woman." 

"You underestimate my stubbornness." 

"You care for your family," Nathalie said flatly. "I assume that same care applies to Adrien." 

"Watch your next words carefully," Casey growled. "I already told Gabriel, my brother is not a bargaining chip." 

"You misunderstand my meaning. There is something you can do for him, if you help us." 

"That thing being?" 

"His mother," Nathalie answered. "You can give him his mother back." 

Casey remained silent. The waitress came out with Casey's order. Nathalie waited until she was out of earshot to continue. 

"What do you know about Emilie Agreste?" she asked. 

"Nothing much," Casey admitted, crossing her arms. "I know she was an actress, she's been dead for about a year, was Gabriel's wife." 

"Technically, that makes her your step-mother." 

"Don't make this weird." 

"And she is not dead," Nathalie said, ignoring Casey's comment. "She is dying, in a coma, caused by a damaged Miraculous. We're trying to save her, to bring her back." 

"That's why he wants the Miraculous," Casey realized. "He wants to use them to wish for her to be healed." 

"Imagine how much Adrien will love you, when he realizes that not only are you his sister, but you helped give him his mother back," Nathalie finished. "You'd be his greatest hero. Isn't that why you fight with Ladybug and Chat Noir? To be seen as a hero?" 

Casey straightened in her seat. "Do you really think I'm that shallow?" 

"I think you want your family to be whole," Natalie replied. "That is something you and your father have in common." 

Casey shot Nathalie a glare. Nathalie gave her a small smirk. She wanted to deny that she was anything like Gabriel Agreste. She would never stoop as low as he did. He manipulated people, terrorized them out of some misguided sense of family! And it wasn't family he cared about, it was a perfect family. Casey had grown up knowing that there was no such thing. 

"Join him," Nathalie pushed. "You will finally have what you want with them." 

Casey let out a huff. "You know what I learned growing up? I learned what it's like to miss something you've never had. All the fathers days, all the parent/teacher conferences, all the science fairs and carnivals, everyone else had a dad. My mom did the best she could, but for the longest time I didn't even know what a dad was supposed to be and I missed it, I wanted it more than anything. I also learned how to hate parts of myself that came from him because they reminded me of what I didn't have. Wanting someone and hating them at the same time isn't something a child understands very well."

"Is there a point to this?" Nathalie asked. 

"My point is that it doesn't matter if I want him to be a part of my family or not. We hate each other and I will never be good enough for his perfect family." 

"So you won't do this? Not even for your brother?" 

"Using Adrien to try and get me to cooperate is a bad tactic. The only thing it does is piss me off." 

Nathalie stood up with a blank expression. "You realize, if you do not cooperate, he will do what he says and he will take your Miraculous." 

"Let him try. He doesn't scare me. Or you, for that matter, _Mayura_." 

Nathalie's eyes widened. Casey couldn't stop the self satisfied smirk that crossed her face. Gabriel wasn't the only person who was observant. 

"You shouldn't have kept saying 'we'," Casey stated, picking at her salad. "It's also pretty obvious, given how much you know about this situation. One bird to another, get out of this while you still can. Family drama gets ever so messy." 

Casey watched as Nathalie walked away. There was more to that woman than what she revealed. If she told Gabriel about this conversation, then she didn't have much time to bring Adrien in on everything. She started making a checklist of information she'd need to compile. She paid for her lunch and made her way home. She'd need a day to get everything together and sorted and a way to explain it all. She could take it all to him after it all was ready. The first thing she did when she got home was take pictures of her pin board and start taking it down. 

"So you found a solution?" Tali asked. 

"It might be a bad one," Casey admitted. "Help me get this sorted. We don't have much time."


	23. Leverage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sentimonster and akuma attack Paris. Casey makes a delivery. Adrien realizes that Casey is actually a blonde.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess who's an idiot? Me! I'm an idiot! I get halfway through writing the chapter and what do I do? I accidentally close my browser and lose all that hard work. But, this version is better than the one that got deleted anyway, so that's a plus. Also, I know I said I wasn't gonna post on the weekend, but I'm terrible with impulse control. Enjoy the chapter!

Wednesday came and went faster than Casey expected. She spent all of her time after work getting everything put together. Tali offered her encouragement and sometimes got her a soda or a snack from the fridge. Casey finally went to bed around one in the morning. She woke up five and a half hours later, full of nothing but nervous energy. She wandered into the kitchen and glanced at the fat envelope sitting in the middle of the island. Adrien's name was scrawled across the envelope in her weird, half-print, half-cursive handwriting. She imagined what his face might look like when he opened the envelope. Would he be shocked? Angry? Disappointed? 

"Stop that, Casey," she muttered to herself. "You can't psych yourself out now." 

Casey sat on the stool, trying to ignore the envelope, but it was the only thing on her mind. It felt...impersonal. An envelope full of documents and conspiracy theories? Yeah, that would certainly give the impression that she cared about her brother. Casey went to grab a piece of paper and a pen. She spent thirty minutes writing. Then she reread every line at least twice. Then she crumpled up her paper, grabbed another sheet and completely rewrote it. She tucked the letter into the envelope. With any luck, it would be the first thing he read when he opened it, and then he'd see the paternity test. 

Tali came floating out from the bedroom at seven to find Casey getting rid of her nervous energy through religiously cleaning her living room and kitchen. 

"Nervous?" Tali asked. 

"A little," Casey admitted. "A part of me says screw the inhibitions. The other part says that this day could go horribly wrong." 

"Have faith," Tali advised. "After today, your family will be just a little bit bigger. Now sit down and have some breakfast. You have to go pick up Daisy in about an hour." 

"Good idea. I'm starving." 

As Casey settled down for breakfast, her phone buzzed. A text notification greeted her when she unlocked it. 

**Daisy: Train's coming in soon. Around 8. See you soon!**

If Casey had to use one word to describe Paris in the mornings, bustling would be that word. Whether you were on the bus, the subway, the sidewalk, or driving your own car, you were surrounded by people going somewhere. That's how she felt riding the bus to go meet her sister. As the bus drove through the city, Casey couldn't help but notice the unease. She couldn't blame people for being nervous. She'd never really thought about how people reacted when Hawkmoth showed up in public, and even now five days later, it seemed like everyone was holding their breath. It was almost contagious. 

As the bus turned a corner, something shook the ground. The driver quickly pulled the emergency stop and ushered everyone off the bus. Casey found herself being pushed along by the crowd until she managed to climb onto a lamppost. Her eyes widened when she saw a giant monster stomping through the streets of Paris. Its appearance was constantly shifting and she couldn't tell what it was supposed to be. Sometimes it looked like a monstrous bear, then it would be a dragon of some kind. It kept shifting to one form more than the others. It was a giant fox with nine tails. Casey's eyes widened when she realized it was making its way across the city towards the train station. She took off running, shoving through the crowd. 

"Miss, what do you think you're doing?" a police officer asked, grabbing her arm. "There's an akuma. You can't go into the area." 

"My little sister just got into the train station!" Casey explained. "I have to find her!" 

The officer shook his head. "You need to leave that to the heroes. Your sister will be fine." 

"Please, she's just a kid!" Casey pleaded. "I promised I'd keep her safe!" 

"Get to safety!" 

The officer ushered Casey back down the street. Casey followed the crowd for about a block before she found an alley to duck into. 

"I'm sure Daisy will be fine," Tali said, trying to ease Casey's growing anxiety. 

"I know she will, when I find her and get her home," Casey replied. "Wings up!" 

Esprit raced across the rooftops, keeping her eye on the monster. Ladybug and Chat Noir joined her pretty quickly. 

"What is this thing?" Chat asked as they chased it down. 

"Don't know," Esprit replied. "Can't find an akumatized object either." 

"It could be a sentimonster," Ladybug piped. 

"Then we have to find whoever has the amok," Esprit growled. "And for all we know, that person's an akuma." 

"Watch out!" Chat cried, tackling Esprit. 

The sentimonster had morphed into a giant serpent and lunged at Esprit. She would've been snake chow if Chat hadn't tackled her. It was hard to fight something that continuously changed shape. One moment they could be fighting a lion, the next it could be a giant cobra. The three heroes were constantly on their toes. Then, the monster vanished. 

"Where'd it go?" Ladybug asked, cautiously scanning her surroundings. "It wouldn't have just disappeared." 

Esprit scanned the skies. Chat scanned the streets. Why would it just leave? It didn't make sense. All the akumas had been single minded. They never quit until they achieved their objective. Esprit noticed a flock of birds fly by. 

"It retreated," she stated. "But why? It had us on the defensive the entire time...This doesn't make sense." 

"What's the plan M'Lady?" Chat asked. "How do we go forward?" 

Ladybug took a moment to think. "I don't know. Why would it just leave? It didn't get anything from us," she mused. "Alright, let's go check in with everyone in our civilian lives. We don't want anyone worrying and trying to follow an akuma or sentimonster. We'll meet up again at the Tower in an hour. Sound good?" 

"Sounds like a plan," Chat replied. 

Esprit nodded. "See you in an hour." 

Esprit landed in an alley close to the train station. Normally, Casey would have been conscious about going out in public with her hair still blonde, but she was too focused on finding Daisy. She ran into the station and started scanning the platform for her. A conductor was standing nearby and Casey ran up to him. 

"I'm looking for a girl, black hair, green eyes, about this tall," Casey said quickly, waving her hand just below her shoulder. "She would've gotten in on the latest train just before the attack." 

"Are you her sister?" the conductor asked. 

Casey nodded. "Have you seen her? Is she okay? Is she safe?" 

"I'm sorry," he said. "I tried to stay with her during the attack, but it was chaos. I had her one moment and then she was just gone." 

Casey's throat started to tighten up. "What happened?" 

"The akuma was here, in the station," he explained. "We were evacuating everyone as quickly as possible, but the heroes were occupied with the monster a few blocks away. Is it possible she is on her way home?" 

"I want to see the security footage," Casey stated. "Now, please." 

The conductor didn't argue with her. He led her to a small room just past the ticket station. They went through the footage from the start of the attack. Casey watched as the events unfolded. The Conductor was holding Daisy's hand and then she was gone in an orange cloud. They allowed Casey to rewatch it. She found the akuma breaking through the glass ceiling. It was an old akuma. She could vaguely remember reading the news articles about her. She was wearing a fox themed costume and wielded a flute. It was a rip-off of the fox miraculous. Casey watched as she caused chaos in the station, then she caught sight of a duplicate, leaving the station with Daisy on her back, unconscious. 

"Thank you for your time," Casey said quietly, leaving the room. 

Casey left the station, her thoughts a jumbled mess. The monster had been a distraction. An akuma had taken Daisy. Her hands started trembling and her breathing became erratic. 

"Casey," Tali whispered from her hoodie pocket. "Talk to me." 

"He took her," Casey replied. "He sent the akuma to take Daisy. What am I gonna do, Tali?" 

"Take a deep breath," Tali instructed. "Steady yourself. You need to get your head on straight." 

Casey nodded. "Right. Can't help if I can't think," she said shakily. "She must be so scared, Tali." 

"Just come up with a first step. We will get her back." 

Casey started walking home. She had barely taken a step when her phone started ringing. Casey pulled it out and saw Daisy's contact photo. She tried to keep herself from growling when she answered. 

"Hello, Casey," Gabriel said tonelessly. 

"Where's my sister?" Casey asked. "What have you done with her?" 

"She is perfectly fine," he replied. "For now. Are you prepared to listen to my offer?" 

"Put her on." 

"I can't do that." 

"I'm not listening to a damn word until I talk to my sister," Casey snapped. "So put her on." 

There was a moment of silence on the line. Casey tried to keep her breathing steady. 

"Casey?" Daisy asked, her voice shaking. 

"It's me, Daisy," Casey replied. "Are you okay? Are you hurt?" 

"No. No, I'm okay. Casey, I'm scared." 

"I know. Listen to me, Daisy. I'm gonna get you out of this. You're gonna be okay. I love you, and I'm coming for you. Alright?" 

There was silence again. 

"Time's up," Gabriel stated. "Now, you'll listen to me. If you want your sister returned, unharmed, you will bring me Ladybug and Chat Noir's Miraculous." 

"If you hurt her, I will make you wish you were dead," Casey snarled. 

"Do we have an understanding?" 

Casey glanced down at Tali, who was watching her with concerned eyes. Casey gave Tali a nod. 

"We do," Casey stated. 

"Good. There is a condemned apartment complex north of the tower. Do you know it?" 

"Yeah." 

"You will bring the Miraculous there. You have an hour and a half." 

Gabriel ended the call and Casey put her phone back in her pocket. Casey made her way back home, using her transformation to forgo the commute. She landed in her apartment and started pacing. Tali didn't say a word. What was there to say? The Miraculous for Daisy. Casey knew she couldn't make that trade, but she'd never forgive herself if Daisy got hurt. Maybe she could make a plan with Ladybug and Chat Noir. There was one thing she had to take care of before trying to plan anything else. She grabbed the evelope from her kitchen and started running to Adrien's school. With the akuma attack, the students would be let out early. She would have a few minutes before Adrien got picked up, and with how thing were going, he needed to know everything _yesterday_. 

Students were filing out of the school when Casey got there. Some gave her odd looks. She was glad to see that Adrien was still there, waiting on the steps. She waved to him. It took him a moment to recognize her. He ran up to her with a smile. 

"Hi, Casey," he said excitedly. "What happened to your hair? Did you dye it?" 

"This is it's natural color," Casey replied. "But I didn't come here to talk about my hair. Look, I need you to take this." 

She handed him the envelope. Adrien's expression quickly morphed into one of concern. Casey saw his car coming down the street. She had maybe a minute. 

"I wish I could explain this all to you, but we don't have the time," Casey said quickly. "Look, there's some stuff in here that's really important, and it'll probably shock you. As soon as you go through it, I need you to give me a call. Okay?" 

"Okay. But what is it?" 

"It's about our family," Casey answered. "Whatever you do, don't let Gabriel know that you have this. Things are complicated, and I need you to trust me. Can you do that?" 

Adrien nodded. "Of course. I've always trusted you, Casey." 

"Good, because things will probably get very messy. Put that in your bag, don't let anybody else see it." 

Adrien nodded, gingerly placing the envelope in his bag. He wasn't sure why, but Casey was nervous. He wanted to help her. He had a feeling she was asking for his help by giving her whatever was in the envelope. He noticed that his car was pulling up. Adrien quickly wrapped Casey in a hug. Casey was a little surprised, but gladly returned it. It lasted for about two seconds before Adrien had to let go and run to his car. 

Casey let out a sigh. "Alright, that takes care of the little brother. Time to take care of the little sister." 

"Do you have a plan?" Tali asked. 

"Yeah. Whether or not it'll work is debatable." 

Casey started making her way home. She had a few minutes before she needed to regroup with Ladybug and Chat Noir. An uneasy feeling settled in her stomach. Everything would either go wonderfully right or horribly wrong.


	24. Paying the Piper

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Esprit has a plan to save her sister

Adrien went to his room the moment her got home. Casey had been pretty serious about the envelope and he wondered why she'd given it to him. She'd just seen her best friend. Why would she give it to him instead of Charlie? He took it out of his bag and laid it on his desk. He would look at it after he met back up with Esprit and Ladybug. He realized that he was almost late for their meet-up. 

Chat landed at the Eiffel Tower to find Esprit and Ladybug already waiting for him. He noticed that Esprit looked nervous. She gripped her sticks tightly, her lips were pursed and she kept glancing to some place in the distance. He had to wonder what could make Esprit visibly nervous. 

"Alright, let's get down to business," Esprit said, forcing herself to look at Ladybug and Chat. "That sentimonster was a distraction. Hawkmoth sent an akuma to the train station to kidnap a girl while we were busy with it." 

"Wait, _Hawkmoth_ made the akuma kidnap someone? It wasn't a personal vendetta?" Ladybug asked. "That...doesn't sound like Hawkmoth." 

"It's Hawkmoth's vendetta," Esprit replied. "He kidnapped someone close to me to try and force me to bring him your Miraculous." 

"Hawkmoth knows your identity?" Chat piped, a slight squeak in his voice. "He hasn't tried to take your Miraculous yet has he?" 

"Not yet, but that's not the important part," Esprit said quickly. "In half an hour I'm supposed to meet him to exchange the Miraculous for the hostage. I have a plan, but there's a slight hiccup. That sentimonster gives them an advantage. We need it off the table." 

The three of them fell silent, each pondering different strategies. Ladybug perked up a moment later. 

"That's your idea face," Chat said with a smirk. "What have you got, Bugaboo?" 

"We can bring in Rena Rouge and Carapace," Ladybug stated. "The five of us will draw the sentimonster out, then the three of us can go deal with Hawkmoth." 

"Mayura will probably be there too," Esprit mentioned. "And the akuma." 

"Any idea who that akuma is?" Ladybug asked. 

"Fox-ripoff chick." Esprit noticed the scowls on Ladybug and Chat's faces. "I'm guessing the two of your aren't fans." 

"Her name's Volpina. She was Hawkmoth's linchpin for the whole Hero's Day fiasco," Chat explained. "And she's not a very nice civilian, either." 

"If she's bad enough that you don't like her, I don't wanna know." 

"Alright, I'll go get Rena and Carapace," Ladybug stated. "Then, you can explain your plan to Chat and I." 

Ladybug zipped away on her yo-yo and returned fifteen minutes later with Carapace and Rena Rouge. Esprit had barely finished explaining her plan when the sentimonster showed up. It seemed fixated on Rena. Chat couldn't figure out why until he remembered that Volpina was involved. Of course she'd hate being shown up by the actual Fox Miraculous. Ladybug, Esprit and Chat stayed in the fight for about five minutes before ducking out. Now they had to fulfill Esprit's plan. 

The battle with the sentimonster had taken them to the complete opposite end of Paris. Even with the Miraculous providing means of transportation, Esprit made it to the apartment building with only a minute to spare. Hawkmoth was there with his posse. Mayura stood to his right, using her fan to obscure her expression. Volpina stood to his left, keeping her hands clasped around Daisy's arms. Esprit exchanged a quick look with Daisy, hoping that she conveyed her promise to get Daisy out of the situation. She fixed her gaze on Hawkmoth, not bothering to hide her contempt for the man. 

"Did you bring me the Miraculous?" he asked. 

"They're right here," Esprit answered, holding up a cloth bag. 

"And Ladybug and Chat Noir?" Mayura inquired. "I must admit, I'm curious as to who they are." 

"That's not part of the deal," Esprit snapped. "You get the Miraculous for Daisy." 

"Deals can change," Hawkmoth mused. 

"And I can throw the Miraculous into the nearest storm drain," Esprit growled. 

"You wouldn't," Mayura replied, her eyes widening. "You have too much respect for the Miraculous." 

"And you've put me in a desperate position," Esprit said coldly. "People do crazy things when they're desperate. So, the Miraculous for Daisy." 

Hawkmoth let out a dark chuckle. "You could have made a powerful ally. You have succeeded where even my most promising akumas have failed. I'm impressed." 

"I would've been able to get the Miraculous," Volpina interjected, glaring at her boss. "But you sent me to get this brat." 

"You kidnapped me. Did you expect me to behave?" Daisy piped, rolling her eyes. 

Now that Esprit's attention was drawn to Volpina, she noticed that there were red marks on her face. Some were scratches, others were the start of bruises. She suppressed a smile. She'd have to treat Daisy to a lot of ice cream when this was over. Too bad they didn't have the Tiger Miraculous. Daisy would've made a good holder for it. 

"Are you going to uphold your end of the deal?" Esprit asked sharply. "Or am I going to have to find that storm drain?" 

Hawkmoth gestured for Volpina to go meet her. Volpina marched Daisy over and held out her hand for the bag. As soon as Esprit placed it in her hand, Volpina released her grip on Daisy. The two sisters hugged each other tightly. 

"Daisy, listen closely," Esprit whispered. "Things are gonna get ugly fast. When I say, go find a place to hide and stay there." 

"Is there gonna be a fight?" Daisy asked. 

"A nasty one. Can you do that for me? Can you hide?" 

Daisy nodded. Esprit glanced up and watched Volpina's expression as she pulled the jewelry out of the bag. At first, the vixen was delighted to see the earrings and the ring. Then, upon closer inspection, her face fell. Esprit watched as she went from confused to angry. She'd realized they were noting more than cheap costume jewelry. 

"Now!" Esprit exclaimed. 

Volpina made to grab Daisy again. Esprit was quicker, and smacked her in the chest with her sticks. Daisy ran and hid between some old AC units. Ladybug and Chat jumped onto the roof and started fighting with Mayura and Hawkmoth. Volpina got back on her feet and tried to fight Esprit. _Tried_ being the operative word. Compared to Hawkmoth, the girl was an amateur. She telegraphed almost every one of her moves. Esprit would admit that she was quick and quite nimble, but those traits would only take her so far. Esprit listened as Tali gave her advice. 

_"You need to get your hands on the amok and the akuma. Then you can help Ladybug with Hawkmoth."_

_"Working on it."_

Volpina played a quick tune on her flute, summoning at least a dozen Volpina clones. Esprit glanced over at Ladybug and Chat Noir and saw that they were keeping the two super-villains busy. 

"Spirit Wind!" 

Esprit enveloped Volpina in a cyclone. Her clones were destroyed by the wind and Esprit was able to glance into her recent emotions. She was a little confused when she couldn't find traces of anger or desperation or any emotions that could lead to her akumatization. Instead, she found giddiness, a sick desire for a fight. She had to wonder what was so wrong with this girl that she would work with Hawkmoth of all people. Esprit caught her thoughts drifting and quickly refocused, trying to pinpoint where the amok and akuma were hiding. The akuma was easy enough to find. It was in the necklace around her neck. The amok took a moment to locate. Eventually, Esprit zeroed in on a bracelet on her wrist. It was colored to blend in to her costume, but when Esprit knew what to look for, she could spot it. With a lot of mental nudging, Esprit was able to make Volpina break the objects and dispersed the wind. Volpina, now Lila, took one look at the situation and bolted for the rooftop access door. 

"Esprit!" Chat cried. 

Before she could process why he was alarmed, Esprit was slammed into by Hawkmoth. He pushed her to the ground and planted his foot on her chest. Then, he took her Miraculous and, for good measure, kicked her in the side. 

"Casey!" Daisy cried. 

Before Hawkmoth could hit her again, Casey rolled out of his range and got to her feet. Fury filled her when she saw her choker in his hands. She felt the wind beginning to whip and she directed it at Hawkmoth. It was the biggest gust she'd ever summoned outside of her transformations. She ignored the tightening pain in her chest and pushed Hawkmoth back, allowing Ladybug a chance to reengage him. 

"Casey!" Daisy exclaimed, running over to her. 

"What do you think you're doing?!" Casey asked, not bothering to hide her panic. "You need to stay hidden!" 

"I'm getting you out of here!" Daisy stated, tugging on her arm. "You don't have Tali! He'll kill you!" 

"Get back to your hiding spot," Casey ordered. "I'm going to get Tali back." 

"Don't-!" 

"Protecting Tali is my job. I won't let Hawkmoth make her into one of his puppets." 

Casey pulled herself away from Daisy and ran to help Ladybug. If Ladybug and Chat were surprised that she was sticking around and still fighting, they didn't show it. Casey would admit, not having the suit did put her at a disadvantage, and the magic that she kept drawing on to help out was a double-edged sword. With every gust of wind, the pain in her body grew. It started to spread out from her chest to the rest of her body. 

Chat and Ladybug weren't oblivious to what Casey was doing to herself. Chat wanted nothing more than to scream at her to go get Daisy and leave, but she was determined to reclaim her Miraculous. As she continued to fight, Casey was getting slower, weaker. She didn't have as much control over the wind compared to when she had her Miraculous. Chat remembered what Tali said. If a Miraculous holder used too much magic from saturation, they died. They needed to end this fight quickly. 

"Lucky Charm!" 

Chat noticed a red and black spotted staff fall into Ladybug's hands. Ladybug took a brief moment to scan her surroundings before tossing it to Casey. With a weapon, Casey was able to lay off on the wind. Chat finally managed to get the upper hand over Mayura. An expertly aimed swing of his staff knocked her to the ground. Chat kept his staff pointed at her face and a foot firmly planted on her chest. With Mayura pinned down, the fight between Ladybug, Casey and Hawkmoth came to a halt. 

"It's over, Hawkmoth," Ladybug said firmly. "Hand over the Miraculous." 

"Don't do it!" Mayura exclaimed. 

"Don't be stupid, Hawkmoth," Casey replied. "We outnumber you and your partner's down. Give up while you can." 

Hawkmoth rushed at Ladybug. Casey used her staff to block Hawkmoth's strike. 

"Get ready for this, Buggy," Casey said through gritted teeth. 

Casey summoned one last gust of wind. It circled around her and Hawkmoth, leaving them trapped in their lock. Casey's legs were shaking and her forehead was beaded with sweat. 

"Get Tali!" she exclaimed. 

Somehow, Ladybug got through the cyclone. It fought against her the entire time, giving her only a few seconds. She reached into Hawkmoth's pocket and pulled out the choker. Chat was so focused on the scene that he forgot he was keeping Mayura restrained. She used his distraction to throw him off of her. Mayura was back on her feet and retreated to another rooftop. Casey's cyclone disappeared as quickly as it showed up and she fell to her knees. Hawkmoth glanced at Ladybug and Chat Noir, then down at Casey. Chat could only describe the expression as loathing. Still, Hawkmoth retreated with Mayura. Chat ran to Casey's side and tried to help her up, only for his arm to pass through her. 

"What's happening?" Chat asked, glancing at Ladybug. 

Casey hissed in pain and clutched her chest. "You know what's happening, Kit-Cat. I over did it." 

"The Miraculous Cure, it could heal you," Ladybug said quickly, grabbing the staff. "Miraculous Ladybug!" 

The ladybugs flew across the scene. Chat glanced down at Casey with a hopeful smile. His hopes were dashed when he saw Casey was still in a lot of pain and her body was starting to fade. 

"Sorry, Buggy. This is one thing you can't fix. I've gotta pay the piper this time." 

The sound of footsteps made Chat look away. He saw Daisy running across the roof. She made her way over to Casey, a worried look on her face. 

"Casey? What's happening?" Daisy asked, her voice shaking. 

"Look away," Casey replied. "Daisy, I don't want you to see this." 

"What's wrong?!" 

"Chat, cover her eyes," Casey requested. 

"No!" Daisy protested. She reached out to take Casey's hand, only to pass through Casey's fading body. "Why can't I hold your hand? Why can't I hold her hand?!" 

Chat wrapped his arms around Daisy and pulled her close, trying to keep her from watching. Daisy fought against him. He almost closed his eyes, but he felt like that would be abandoning Casey when she needed them the most. Casey's breathing started to get shallow and it was becoming more and more difficult to see her. 

"Listen. I know who they are," Casey stated, her voice barely audible. "Hawkmoth's name-" 

The last part of Casey's sentence melted away, along with her body. Ladybug and Chat stared at the spot where she was. Daisy finally managed to pull away from Chat only to stare silently at where her sister had been. Chat and Ladybug knelt beside her and hugged her as the tears started to fall. Ladybug placed the Eagle Miraculous in Daisy's palm and requested that Chat stay with her while she went to recharge and retrieve Carapace and Rena's Miraculous. Chat looked up at the sky and thought it was unfair that the sky was clear while he had to comfort Daisy. What were they going to tell her family?


	25. Bad News

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ladybug and Chat take Daisy home. Adrien learns the truth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is more of an epilogue than a chapter. This is not the end of the Eagle Miraculous Series. The next work will be up soon, titled Soarin Higher. I hope you enjoyed the first one, even if the ending isn't what you might have wanted or expected.

When Ladybug returned, Daisy had tired herself out from crying and had fallen asleep on Chat's lap. Daisy had since put the Miraculous on and Tali was sitting on top of her head, staring listlessly at the sky. Chat couldn't begin to imagine what the kwami was feeling. Casey had been with her for almost all of her life. He didn't bother saying anything like 'I'm sorry for your loss'. They felt like empty words to him. 

"I have the Horse Miraculous," Ladybug said quietly. "We should be able to get Daisy home with it." 

"What do we tell her family?" Chat asked. "I mean...Casey was their daughter. How do we tell them that she died?" 

"Let me," Tali answered, holding back a sob. "They might take it better if it came from me." 

"We should wake her up," Ladybug stated, sitting down next to Chat. 

"Let her sleep for just a few more minutes," Chat replied. 

Ladybug didn't argue. They sat there for at least another hour before Chat finally had the heart to wake Daisy up. Ladybug used the Horse Miraculous to open up a portal to Portsmouth. They ended up two blocks away from the Burton house. Daisy directed them to the right house. It was a quaint little house, made of brick and it had ivy climbing up the walls. They walked Daisy to the front door and rang the doorbell. Chat recognized Evelyn from the family pictures Casey kept up in her apartment. He tried not to cry upon seeing Casey's look-alike. 

"What happened?" Evelyn asked, looking from the two heroes to her daughter. "Where's Casey?" 

Tali floated up from her perch on Daisy's shoulder. "Evelyn...I'm sorry." 

Realization crossed Evelyn's face. "No. Not Casey." 

Tali nodded her head. "She over-used her magic. The saturation..." 

"Evelyn? Who's at the door?" 

The man Chat guessed to be Charles came into the entryway. Evelyn turned and sobbed into his chest. He glanced at the two heroes, hoping for some kind of explanation. 

"I'm sorry," Ladybug said, her voice cracking. "Your daughter, Casey...she-" 

"No," Charles gasped. "Casey's gone?" 

Chat and Ladybug didn't know what else to say. Charles held onto Evelyn as she continued to sob. After Evelyn calmed down a little, they invited the two heroes in to explain what happened. Chat felt a little uncomfortable, coming into their house to explain how Casey had died. It felt wrong. He saw pictures of Casey all over the house. She had blonde hair in the ones from when she was little and then in the more recent pictures, her hair was red. It hurt to see pictures of Casey holding her baby sister for the first time or working on a car or playing soccer with her friends. She didn't get to show him these. 

Ladybug and Chat sat on a couch across from them. Ladybug did most of the talking. Chat couldn't bring himself to speak. He tried and his voice just cracked. He hated having Ladybug being the only one to explain. She was hurting too. When Ladybug finished telling them about the battle, Evelyn buried her hands in her face. 

"I should never have told her," Evelyn cried. "If she hadn't known, she'd be here." 

"You're talking about when Hawkmoth went after you, aren't you?" Chat guessed. "She told me about it when I asked after a training session." 

Evelyn nodded. "I should've told her to ignore it, forget about it. Now she's gone." 

"Casey made her own decisions," Chat replied. "No one could have stopped her from trying to serve justice. If anyone's to blame, it's Hawkmoth." 

They didn't linger at the Burtons' house. They offered what comfort they could, then went back to Paris. Chat went back to his room and collapsed at his desk, releasing his transformation. 

"Adrien, are you going to be okay?" Plagg asked. 

Adrien shook his head. "She knew she would die, Plagg, but she still did it. She was in pain..." 

Plagg rubbed his head against Adrien's hand. "You did all you could." 

Adrien glanced at the envelope laying in front of him. It hurt to look at Casey's handwriting, but he needed to push through it, to see what was in it. He opened it and pulled out the first two pages inside the envelope. The top piece was a letter, addressed to him. 

_Adrien,_  
_I'm sorry I couldn't explain all of this in person. I really wanted to, but there wasn't a good time to meet up. I'm not going to make excuses for why I haven't told you any of this sooner. You'll probably be mad at me for hiding it from you. I've known for a few weeks now. Your father knows too, but the relationship between him and me is complicated. The truth is, I'm your older sister. Gabriel and my mother, Evelyn, were friends at university and they separated before my mom knew she was pregnant._  
_I want to be there for you. I'll admit, Gabriel and I don't particularly like each other, and sometimes I wish he wasn't my birth father. The other side of that is you are the best little brother I ever could have asked for. I never imagined that I'd have a little brother like you and I want to be the best big sister I can be. Know that when you need me, I'll be there. I hope you can forgive me for not telling you sooner. There's a lot more to talk about, and it's all here. When you're ready, call me. We'll sort through it together._

_Love,_  
_Casey_

Adrien glanced at the next piece of paper. It confirmed what the letter said. It showed that he and Casey shared the same father. Adrien couldn't stop the tears from spilling. He suddenly wished he could redo the entire day, stop every bad thing from happening. 

"Adrien?" 

"She was my sister, Plagg."


End file.
